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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bulb — for light
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. lean — thin
  10. bore — to drill
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bulb — for light
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. wake — a trail
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. bore — to tire
  18. foot — a measure
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — in control

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