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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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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: kid · pop · shower · arm · bulb · object · track · cabinet

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. bulb — for light
  3. object — a thing
  4. object — an aim
  5. track — to keep track
  6. track — a song
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. track — a path
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. shower — rain
  11. pop — soda
  12. shower — to wash
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. kid — child
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. pop — music
  19. kid — to tease
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. object — to protest
  24. bulb — for light

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