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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. rest — what's left
  3. staff — employees
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. lie — to recline
  6. bulb — for light
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. season — in sport
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. fork — in a road
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. staff — a stick
  15. bulb — for light
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. season — of the year
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. rest — a break
  22. rest — what's left
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. staff — employees

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