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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. kid — to tease
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. key — in music
  5. bulb — for light
  6. prune — to trim
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. prune — to trim
  9. key — the most important part
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. ground — crushed
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. ground — a position
  14. pit — a hole
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cue — for pool
  17. key — for a lock
  18. cue — a signal
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pit — in a race
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. kid — child
  24. bulb — for light

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