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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: bat · cabinet · kick · bulb · file · track · race · plane

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. track — to keep track
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. file — a tool
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. race — humankind
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. track — a song
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. file — a document
  14. plane — a tool
  15. race — the arms race
  16. track — a path
  17. bat — the animal
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. race — a contest
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. file — a line of people
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. kick — a thrill

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