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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. bulb — for light
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. spring — a coil
  5. ball — a dance
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. object — a thing
  9. object — an aim
  10. bulb — for light
  11. prune — to trim
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a great time
  14. spring — of water
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. spring — the season
  17. prune — to trim
  18. safe — out of danger

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