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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: bat · present · kick · cap · fine · bulb · ruler · key

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. fine — all right
  4. bulb — for light
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. present — a gift
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bat — the animal
  9. present — there
  10. key — the most important part
  11. key — in music
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. cap — of ice
  14. kick — in football
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. key — for a lock
  17. present — the time now
  18. bulb — for light
  19. cap — a hat
  20. cap — a lid
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bat — for baseball

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