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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — to trim
  3. clip — to cut
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. bulb — for light
  8. season — of the year
  9. lie — to recline
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. clip — a video
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. season — in sport
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. clip — for paper
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. leaves — lets stay

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