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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. prune — to trim
  8. stand — to bear
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. row — a line
  14. row — to paddle
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. object — a thing
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. object — to protest
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. vault — a safe
  22. bulb — for light
  23. prune — to trim
  24. object — an aim

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