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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bear — the animal
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. mug — a face
  13. bulb — for light
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. prune — to trim
  17. mug — to rob
  18. bay — a part of the sea

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