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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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. bulb — for light
  4. bear — the animal
  5. prune — to trim
  6. face — to confront
  7. firm — decided
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. pop — music
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. pop — to visit
  12. face — part of the head
  13. spell — a short time
  14. bear — the animal
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. face — to point toward
  17. firm — steady
  18. bulb — for light
  19. prune — to trim
  20. spell — letters
  21. firm — a company
  22. spell — magic
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. pop — soda

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