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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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bank — for money
  3. present — there
  4. object — a thing
  5. present — a gift
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. prune — to trim
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. perch — the fish
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bank — for money
  13. prune — to trim
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pound — a weight
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. object — an aim
  19. object — to protest
  20. bank — of a river
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. present — the time now
  24. nail — for a hammer

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