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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. content — the amount
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. file — a tool
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bulb — for light
  8. file — a document
  9. current — of water
  10. current — electric
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bulb — for light
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. content — happy
  15. file — a line of people
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. current — happening now
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. prune — to trim
  24. content — videos and posts

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