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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cell — a phone
  4. bass — the fish
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. cell — in biology
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. rush — hurry
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bulb — for light
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. season — of the year
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bass — low music
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. season — in sport
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. hide — animal skin

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