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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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. bulb — for light
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. present — there
  8. present — the time now
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. present — a gift
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bulb — for light
  14. fine — high quality
  15. chair — a leader
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bark — to shout
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. rush — hurry
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. fine — all right

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