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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. spring — the season
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — a grade
  6. spring — of water
  7. rule — government
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. spring — a coil
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. bulb — for light
  15. craft — boats
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. craft — a skill
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. stem — to come from
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. rule — a law
  24. safe — out of danger

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