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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. prune — to trim
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. wound — an injury
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. lean — thin
  12. dip — to sink
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. wound — an injury
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. lean — to bend
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. chair — a leader
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bulb — for light
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. bulb — for light

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