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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. current — electric
  3. cell — a phone
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. current — happening now
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bulb — for light
  9. suit — in cards
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. current — of water
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. pop — music
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. bulb — for light
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. pop — to visit
  20. suit — clothes
  21. cell — in biology
  22. pop — soda
  23. suit — to fit
  24. toast — the most admired

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