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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.

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: calf · last · fine · bulb · wave · cap · pit · can

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. fine — all right
  4. can — a tin
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. cap — of ice
  8. last — finally
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. can — to be able to
  11. pit — a hole
  12. last — final
  13. cap — a hat
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bulb — for light
  17. last — to go on
  18. can — a tin
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. pit — in a race
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. cap — a lid
  24. fine — high quality

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