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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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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 · mate · kick · suit · fine · craft · hide · cell

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. fine — high quality
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. craft — boats
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. kick — in football
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. bulb — for light
  9. suit — in cards
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. suit — to fit
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. mate — a friend
  14. cell — in biology
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. cell — a phone
  17. suit — clothes
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. craft — a skill
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mate — to breed
  23. bulb — for light
  24. fine — all right

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