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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. rule — a law
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. content — happy
  5. content — the amount
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. bulb — for light
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. bulb — for light
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. perch — the fish
  23. foot — a measure
  24. rule — government

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