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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cell — in biology
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. row — a line
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. row — to paddle
  18. cell — a phone
  19. bulb — for light
  20. season — of the year
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. season — in sport
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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