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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 cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. suit — to fit
  3. prune — to trim
  4. season — of the year
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. bulb — for light
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rash — a series
  10. stock — shares
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bound — obliged
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bound — certain
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. season — in sport
  20. rash — hasty
  21. bulb — for light
  22. stock — goods
  23. bound — tied together
  24. stock — a soup base

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