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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 116 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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cue — a hint
  8. rule — a law
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. file — a document
  11. file — a tool
  12. shower — rain
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bulb — for light
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. shower — to wash
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. file — a line of people
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. cue — for pool
  22. rule — government
  23. cue — a signal
  24. rush — hurry

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