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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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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: fine · sharp · mouse · craft · kick · mark · bulb · wind

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. fine — all right
  5. wind — moving air
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. craft — a skill
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. bulb — for light
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. wind — moving air
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. mark — a trace
  16. sharp — clever
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. fine — high quality
  22. craft — boats
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. kick — in football

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