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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. bore — to tire
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. firm — a company
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. cell — in biology
  8. firm — steady
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bat — the animal
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bore — to drill
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. cell — a phone
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. firm — decided
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. plane — a tool
  24. bulb — of a plant

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