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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. pass — a permit
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. bulb — for light
  5. sharp — clever
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. bulb — for light
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. chair — a leader
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. present — there
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. staff — a stick
  15. staff — employees
  16. present — a gift
  17. row — to paddle
  18. row — a line
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. staff — employees
  21. present — the time now
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. sharp — exactly

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