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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. land — ground
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. bulb — for light
  8. land — a country
  9. prune — to trim
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. land — to come down
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. sharp — clever
  17. squash — to crush
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. rush — hurry
  21. squash — the sport
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. safe — out of danger

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