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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. prune — to trim
  3. deal — to handle
  4. prune — to trim
  5. key — for a lock
  6. cell — a phone
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. chip — for betting
  9. pit — in a race
  10. key — the most important part
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. cell — in biology
  15. chip — to eat
  16. key — in music
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pit — a hole
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. chip — in a computer

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