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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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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: coach · lean · kick · bulb · can · board · cabinet · scale

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. can — a tin
  4. kick — in football
  5. lean — thin
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. board — a committee
  8. scale — in music
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. can — to be able to
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. can — a tin
  14. scale — size or range
  15. lean — to bend
  16. bulb — for light
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. board — to get on
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. scale — for weighing

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