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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.

Make a worksheet

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

Words on the sheet
468
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: cabinet · kick · club · bulb · plane · can · cold · mug

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. cold — not warm
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. bulb — for light
  6. can — a tin
  7. bulb — for light
  8. kick — in football
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. can — to be able to
  12. mug — a cup
  13. club — for golf
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. mug — to rob
  18. can — a tin
  19. club — for dancing
  20. plane — a tool
  21. mug — a face
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. cold — an illness
  24. bulb — of a plant

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