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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: kick · bulb · fine · toast · spring · cabinet · ball · pop

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pop — to visit
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. ball — a dance
  6. toast — bread
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. pop — soda
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. spring — a coil
  12. ball — a great time
  13. pop — music
  14. kick — in football
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. spring — the season
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. spring — of water
  19. fine — high quality
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bulb — for light
  22. fine — all right
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. fine — a penalty

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