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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. wake — a trail
  5. rule — a law
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. bulb — for light
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. scale — in music
  13. vault — a safe
  14. drill — the tool
  15. snap — to click
  16. scale — size or range
  17. drill — a practice
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. drill — army training
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. rule — government

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