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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 124 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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. bulb — for light
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. club — for golf
  10. vault — a safe
  11. mark — a trace
  12. club — for dancing
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. deal — to handle
  18. club — a group
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. kick — in football
  21. mark — a grade
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. cabinet — ministers

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