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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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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: bulb · swing · pit · can · mate · land · kick · mine

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. can — a tin
  3. swing — in golf
  4. mate — a partner
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. land — ground
  8. mate — to breed
  9. swing — to play on
  10. swing — music
  11. pit — in a race
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. land — to come down
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. can — to be able to
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. can — a tin
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mine — for digging
  22. kick — in football
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. land — a country

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