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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. bulb — for light
  8. foot — a measure
  9. pop — to visit
  10. snap — to click
  11. clip — for paper
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. clip — to cut
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. pop — soda
  17. rest — what's left
  18. clip — a video
  19. pound — a weight
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. pop — music
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rest — a break

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