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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. prune — to trim
  4. shower — to wash
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. prune — to trim
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. capital — money
  10. suit — in cards
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. shower — rain
  13. suit — clothes
  14. rest — what's left
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. bulb — for light
  17. capital — a city
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. rest — what's left
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. vault — a safe
  22. rest — a break
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. coach — a trainer

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