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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  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. bulb — for light
  2. rule — a law
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. club — for dancing
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ball — a great time
  12. bulb — for light
  13. club — for golf
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. branch — a division
  16. club — a group
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. lie — to recline
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — to cool the air
  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