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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. pop — soda
  4. drill — army training
  5. drill — a practice
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rule — a law
  8. pop — to visit
  9. bulb — for light
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. drill — the tool
  12. pop — music
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. last — to go on
  16. rule — government
  17. club — for dancing
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. last — final
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. club — for golf
  22. club — a group
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. last — finally

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