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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. wind — moving air
  3. squash — the sport
  4. band — a ring
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. bulb — for light
  7. prune — to trim
  8. toast — bread
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. band — a music group
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. wind — moving air
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. squash — to crush
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. prune — to trim

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