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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. charge — electricity
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. bulb — for light
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bark — to shout
  7. pop — soda
  8. prune — to trim
  9. charge — in control
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. mug — a face
  14. mug — a cup
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. pop — to visit
  18. bulb — for light
  19. last — finally
  20. pop — music
  21. mug — to rob
  22. charge — a price
  23. last — final
  24. plane — in geometry

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