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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. face — to point toward
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pop — music
  9. prune — to trim
  10. face — part of the head
  11. prune — to trim
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. ball — a great time
  14. face — to confront
  15. bulb — for light
  16. squash — the sport
  17. pop — to visit
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. pop — soda
  20. squash — to crush
  21. ball — a dance
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bear — the animal

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