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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: squash · land · craft · bulb · fine · file · cell · rest

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. file — a document
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. craft — a skill
  6. rest — a break
  7. rest — what's left
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. land — ground
  10. squash — the sport
  11. cell — a phone
  12. craft — boats
  13. land — a country
  14. cell — in biology
  15. land — to come down
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. file — a line of people
  18. fine — high quality
  19. rest — what's left
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. file — a tool
  22. bulb — for light
  23. fine — all right
  24. squash — to crush

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