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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 120 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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. bulb — for light
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. file — a line of people
  6. file — a document
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. file — a tool
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. can — a tin
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. prune — to trim
  15. can — to be able to
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. spell — magic
  19. spell — letters
  20. spell — a short time
  21. bulb — for light
  22. can — a tin
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. prune — to trim

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