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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. board — to get on
  4. lean — thin
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. cell — a phone
  8. prune — to trim
  9. capital — a city
  10. bulb — for light
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. chip — for betting
  13. staff — a stick
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. board — a committee
  16. bulb — for light
  17. capital — money
  18. staff — employees
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. prune — to trim
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. staff — employees
  23. chip — to eat
  24. lean — to bend

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