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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. row — a line
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. bulb — for light
  5. cap — a hat
  6. bear — the animal
  7. cap — a lid
  8. prune — to trim
  9. board — to get on
  10. cap — of ice
  11. row — to paddle
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. staff — a stick
  15. board — a committee
  16. pitch — completely
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. staff — employees
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bulb — for light
  23. prune — to trim
  24. staff — employees

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