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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 120 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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bulb — for light
  4. season — in sport
  5. season — of the year
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — decided
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. shower — to wash
  15. firm — a company
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. snap — to click
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. shower — rain
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — a committee
  24. bulb — for light

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