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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 116 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 · mug · fall · pop · bulb · fine · last · can

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. mug — a cup
  5. fine — all right
  6. pop — to visit
  7. last — to go on
  8. last — final
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fall — to drop
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. kick — in football
  13. bulb — for light
  14. fall — to drop
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. last — finally
  17. can — a tin
  18. pop — music
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. pop — soda
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. mug — a face
  23. mug — to rob
  24. fall — the season

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