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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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. staff — employees
  3. prune — to trim
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. bulb — for light
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. bass — low music
  13. prune — to trim
  14. staff — a stick
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — to bear
  18. bulb — for light
  19. fine — all right
  20. wax — to grow
  21. fine — high quality
  22. staff — employees
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bass — the instrument

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