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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. object — a thing
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. cue — a signal
  5. rest — a break
  6. bulb — for light
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. cue — a hint
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. cell — in biology
  11. press — a publisher
  12. object — an aim
  13. press — newspapers
  14. rest — what's left
  15. object — to protest
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. cell — a phone
  18. fork — in a road
  19. cue — for pool
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. rest — what's left
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. press — to push
  24. bulb — for light

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