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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 116 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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. fall — to drop
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. firm — a company
  5. sharp — clever
  6. prune — to trim
  7. mug — a face
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. mug — a cup
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. mug — to rob
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. firm — decided
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. fall — the season
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. fall — to drop
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. vault — a safe
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. firm — steady

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