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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. charge — in control
  4. spell — a short time
  5. stand — to bear
  6. spell — letters
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. bulb — for light
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. charge — electricity
  15. charge — a price
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bulb — for light
  18. spell — magic
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bank — for money
  21. pitch — completely
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bank — for money
  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