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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. firm — steady
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. firm — decided
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. cell — a phone
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. roll — a list
  12. plane — a tool
  13. hand — in cards
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pop — soda
  17. hand — help
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. ball — a great time
  20. pop — to visit
  21. roll — a cake
  22. ball — a dance
  23. pop — music
  24. firm — a company

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