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

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. bulb — for light
  3. can — a tin
  4. march — the month
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pit — a hole
  7. can — a tin
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. rule — a law
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. bulb — for light
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. march — the month
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. vault — a safe
  20. mine — for digging
  21. can — to be able to
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. rule — government
  24. stem — to come from

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