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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bulb — for light
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bass — low music
  7. rule — a law
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. mug — a cup
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pit — in a race
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. cell — in biology
  15. pit — a hole
  16. cell — a phone
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. rule — government
  23. mug — a face
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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