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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.

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: bulb · rock · game · mark · spell · kick · rest · board

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. game — wild animals
  3. rest — a break
  4. board — to get on
  5. game — a match
  6. mark — a grade
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. kick — in football
  9. spell — letters
  10. board — a committee
  11. rock — music
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bulb — for light
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. spell — magic
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. rest — what's left
  19. mark — a trace
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. rock — a stone
  22. spell — a short time
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. kick — with a leg

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