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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. firm — steady
  3. craft — boats
  4. season — in sport
  5. bulb — for light
  6. march — the month
  7. season — of the year
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. cell — in biology
  10. firm — a company
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. drill — army training
  13. bulb — for light
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. drill — the tool
  16. fine — all right
  17. march — music
  18. craft — a skill
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. firm — decided
  22. drill — a practice
  23. fine — high quality
  24. march — the month

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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