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

Word bank: bulb · wind · kid · cabinet · suit · pound · pass · present

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. present — the time now
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. suit — clothes
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pound — a weight
  11. present — there
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. suit — to fit
  14. kid — child
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. wind — moving air
  17. kid — to tease
  18. present — a gift
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wind — moving air
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. pass — a permit
  24. suit — in cards

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