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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. court — of law
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. court — of a king
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. prune — to trim
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. squash — to crush
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. board — a committee
  14. court — for sport
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. squash — the sport
  20. board — to get on
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bulb — for light
  23. prune — to trim
  24. plane — a tool

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