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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. fall — to drop
  3. prune — to trim
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. band — a ring
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. fall — to drop
  10. prune — to trim
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rock — music
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. bulb — for light
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. fall — the season
  22. bear — the animal
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. bear — the animal

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