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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. bulb — for light
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mug — a cup
  6. march — the month
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. mug — a face
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. pitch — completely
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rash — hasty
  16. march — the month
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. rash — a series
  19. vault — a safe
  20. prune — to trim
  21. march — music
  22. bulb — for light
  23. prune — to trim
  24. rash — on the skin

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