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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. ground — the earth
  3. ground — a position
  4. cue — for pool
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cue — a hint
  8. ground — crushed
  9. craft — a skill
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. foot — a measure
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — high quality
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. bulb — for light
  20. cell — a phone
  21. craft — boats
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. cell — in biology
  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