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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. fork — in a road
  5. bulb — for light
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bank — of a river
  10. content — happy
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. bank — for money
  13. swing — to play on
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. swing — music
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bank — for money
  19. content — the amount
  20. rest — a break
  21. bulb — for light
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. prune — to trim
  24. swing — in golf

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