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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bulb — for light
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. spell — magic
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bulb — for light
  9. spell — a short time
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. bark — to shout
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — employees
  15. prune — to trim
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pit — in a race
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bear — the animal
  22. spell — letters
  23. staff — a stick
  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