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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 ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. mark — a trace
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. prune — to trim
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. rock — music
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. net — in sport
  12. mark — a grade
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. net — after costs
  17. net — for catching
  18. bulb — of a plant

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