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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. date — the fruit
  3. object — an aim
  4. bulb — for light
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. roll — a cake
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. snap — to click
  9. tube — a container
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. object — a thing
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. object — to protest
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. cell — in biology
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. roll — a list
  20. cell — a phone
  21. bulb — for light
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. tube — the underground

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