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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  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. bulb — for light
  2. object — to protest
  3. shower — to wash
  4. pound — a weight
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. rock — a stone
  9. object — a thing
  10. shower — rain
  11. bulb — for light
  12. object — an aim
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. pit — a hole
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. kick — in football
  23. rock — music
  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