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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rock — music
  7. bulb — for light
  8. capital — a city
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rock — a stone
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. capital — money
  18. cell — a phone

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