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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: kid · foot · bulb · rush · dip · object · court · mate

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. court — of law
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. object — a thing
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. foot — a measure
  8. kid — child
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. kid — to tease
  11. bulb — for light
  12. dip — to sink
  13. mate — to breed
  14. court — of a king
  15. rush — hurry
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. mate — a partner
  20. object — an aim
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. court — for sport
  23. mate — a friend
  24. object — to protest

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