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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. shower — rain
  5. cell — in biology
  6. charge — a price
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. shower — to wash
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pitch — completely
  12. rest — a break
  13. cell — a phone
  14. charge — electricity
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. row — to paddle
  17. charge — in control
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. bulb — for light
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. rest — what's left
  22. row — a line
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. bulb — for light

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