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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. pop — to visit
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. object — an aim
  9. mark — a trace
  10. cell — a phone
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. object — to protest
  17. cell — in biology
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pop — music
  20. bulb — for light
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pop — soda
  23. object — a thing
  24. bulb — for light

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