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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. track — to keep track
  3. cell — a phone
  4. fork — in a road
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. track — a path
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. bulb — for light
  17. cell — in biology
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. deal — to handle
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. dip — to sink
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. track — a song
  24. bulb — of a plant

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