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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. bat — the animal
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. mine — for digging
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. bulb — for light
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. suit — clothes
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. cue — a signal
  13. suit — to fit
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. bulb — for light
  19. cue — for pool
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. branch — a division
  22. cue — a hint
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. stand — to bear

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