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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 cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. craft — a skill
  7. perch — the fish
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. fall — to drop
  12. plane — a tool
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. fall — the season
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bulb — for light
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. craft — boats
  20. fall — to drop
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. wake — a trail
  23. prune — to trim
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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