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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 · pit · cabinet · straw · cap · kick · nail · craft

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. kick — in football
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. bulb — for light
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. pit — a hole
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. cap — a lid
  11. pit — in a race
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bulb — for light
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. craft — boats
  22. cap — a hat
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. craft — a skill

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