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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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. mark — a trace
  5. lean — thin
  6. squash — to crush
  7. prune — to trim
  8. rule — government
  9. can — to be able to
  10. mark — a grade
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. lean — to bend
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. can — a tin
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. rule — a law
  20. squash — the sport
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bulb — for light
  23. can — a tin
  24. fan — a supporter

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