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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. drill — a practice
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. drill — the tool
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bulb — for light
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. drill — army training
  9. cell — a phone
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pitch — completely
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. prune — to trim
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. foot — a measure
  23. stand — to bear
  24. cell — in biology

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