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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. board — a committee
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. bulb — for light
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. kick — in football
  8. bound — certain
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. board — to get on
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. last — final
  17. prune — to trim
  18. wake — a trail
  19. last — finally
  20. bound — tied together
  21. prune — to trim
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bound — obliged

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