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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 120 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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. shower — rain
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pound — a weight
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. shower — to wash
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. fine — high quality
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — to fit
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — to trim
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. perch — the fish
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bulb — for light
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. fine — all right
  24. prune — the fruit

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