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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. cap — a lid
  3. clip — to cut
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. cap — of ice
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. content — the amount
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. clip — a video
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bulb — for light
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. bulb — for light
  14. court — of a king
  15. content — happy
  16. court — of law
  17. suit — to fit
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. court — for sport
  21. clip — for paper
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — clothes
  24. sharp — clever

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