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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. key — the most important part
  4. wake — a trail
  5. object — to protest
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. key — in music
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. fine — all right
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. key — for a lock
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. object — a thing
  21. fine — high quality
  22. bulb — for light
  23. kick — in football
  24. object — an aim

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com