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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 116 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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. prune — to trim
  4. can — a tin
  5. mate — a partner
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. net — in sport
  8. can — a tin
  9. mate — to breed
  10. can — to be able to
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. bulb — for light
  13. fine — all right
  14. cell — in biology
  15. cell — a phone
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. net — for catching
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. prune — to trim
  20. fine — high quality
  21. mate — a friend
  22. net — after costs
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. bulb — of a plant

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