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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. plane — a tool
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. field — a subject
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rest — what's left
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. mate — a friend
  11. bulb — for light
  12. mate — to breed
  13. rest — a break
  14. rule — government
  15. rule — a law
  16. wake — a trail
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. field — for sport
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. prune — to trim
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. field — farmland
  24. mate — a partner

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