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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. fork — in a road
  3. prune — to trim
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. bound — tied together
  6. prune — to trim
  7. press — a publisher
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. bulb — for light
  10. firm — decided
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. bound — certain
  16. firm — steady
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. firm — a company
  19. press — to push
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bound — obliged
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. press — newspapers

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