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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 116 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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. cap — a lid
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. rock — a stone
  8. prune — to trim
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bulb — for light
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. cap — of ice
  14. bulb — for light
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wake — a trail
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. pound — a weight
  23. cap — a hat
  24. rock — music

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