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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 120 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

Word bank: club · land · rock · calf · bulb · fine

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bulb — for light
  4. land — a country
  5. rock — a stone
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. fine — all right
  8. club — for dancing
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. land — to come down
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. club — for golf
  14. land — ground
  15. fine — high quality
  16. rock — music
  17. bulb — for light
  18. club — a group

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