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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. roll — a list
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. prune — to trim
  5. mate — a partner
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — music
  8. prune — to trim
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bulb — for light
  11. swing — in golf
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. mate — a friend
  18. perch — the fish
  19. mate — to breed
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. foot — a measure
  22. roll — a cake
  23. bulb — for light
  24. arm — part of the body

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