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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 120 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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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: foot · bulb · kid · wind · saw · bay · mark · stick

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bulb — for light
  3. foot — a measure
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. kid — to tease
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bulb — for light
  9. wind — moving air
  10. mark — a grade
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. kid — child
  15. saw — the tool
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. wind — moving air
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. saw — the tool

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