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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — steady
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. toast — bread
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bulb — for light
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. prune — to trim
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. prune — to trim
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. firm — a company
  24. racket — for tennis

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