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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.

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: kick · calf · racket · ground · bound · bay · object · bulb

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. ground — a position
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bound — obliged
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. bound — certain
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. object — to protest
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. bulb — for light
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bound — tied together
  16. object — a thing
  17. ground — crushed
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. kick — in football
  20. object — an aim
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. ground — the earth
  24. bulb — of a plant

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