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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  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. nail — on a finger
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. kid — child
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. rush — hurry
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. cell — in biology
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. suit — clothes
  13. land — ground
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bulb — for light
  16. toast — bread
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. suit — in cards
  19. land — a country
  20. land — to come down
  21. bulb — for light
  22. kid — to tease
  23. cell — in a prison
  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