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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. rule — government
  4. firm — a company
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. charge — a price
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. clip — to cut
  9. firm — steady
  10. clip — a video
  11. charge — in control
  12. wake — a trail
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. bulb — for light
  15. lie — to recline
  16. craft — a skill
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. clip — for paper
  19. bulb — for light
  20. firm — decided
  21. craft — boats
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. charge — electricity
  24. rule — a law

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