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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 120 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
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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: cell · rule · bat · bulb · staff · fine · season · safe

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. bulb — for light
  4. staff — employees
  5. fine — high quality
  6. rule — a law
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rule — government
  11. staff — a stick
  12. season — of the year
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. staff — employees
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. fine — all right
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. season — in sport
  20. bat — the animal
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. cell — in biology
  23. cell — a phone
  24. safe — a strongbox

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