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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. pit — a hole
  4. staff — employees
  5. can — a tin
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pit — in a race
  10. shower — to wash
  11. shower — rain
  12. staff — employees
  13. cap — a hat
  14. cap — of ice
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. rest — a break
  17. cap — a lid
  18. staff — a stick
  19. bulb — for light
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. can — a tin
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — what's left

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