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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. vault — a safe
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. pop — soda
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. face — to point toward
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — hurry
  9. pop — music
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. face — to confront
  12. face — part of the head
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. pass — a permit
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — to trim
  24. pop — to visit

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