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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. prune — to trim
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. can — a tin
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. can — to be able to
  9. land — a country
  10. face — to confront
  11. bulb — for light
  12. prune — to trim
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. face — part of the head
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. ball — a great time
  19. face — to point toward
  20. land — to come down
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bulb — for light
  23. can — a tin
  24. land — ground

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