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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.

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: spell · safe · stand · key · bulb · kick · trunk · clip

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. kick — in football
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. clip — to cut
  9. key — in music
  10. bulb — for light
  11. key — the most important part
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. spell — magic
  14. spell — letters
  15. clip — a video
  16. bulb — for light
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. spell — a short time
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. key — for a lock
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. clip — for paper

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