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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bat — the animal
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. cell — in biology
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. rule — government
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. toast — bread
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rule — a law
  24. cell — a phone

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