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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. bank — of a river
  6. board — to get on
  7. bank — for money
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. prune — to trim
  12. chip — for betting
  13. bulb — for light
  14. board — a committee
  15. kick — in football
  16. bank — for money
  17. drill — the tool
  18. chip — to eat
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. drill — a practice
  21. prune — to trim
  22. drill — army training
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wake — before a funeral

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