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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 116 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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. rash — a series
  3. track — a song
  4. bulb — for light
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. rule — government
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. track — to keep track
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pop — soda
  13. prune — to trim
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rash — hasty
  16. pop — music
  17. pop — to visit
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. track — a path
  20. bulb — for light
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. lie — to recline
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. rule — a law

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