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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lean — thin
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. prune — to trim
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bulb — for light
  13. fine — all right
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. bulb — for light
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. prune — to trim

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