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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. rule — government
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. rest — a break
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rash — a series
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. scale — in music
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. scale — size or range
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. rule — a law
  20. rest — what's left
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. pound — a weight
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. deal — to handle

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