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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. pit — in a race
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. court — of a king
  6. lie — to recline
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pit — a hole
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. stem — to come from
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. court — of law
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. present — there
  20. court — for sport
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. fork — in a road
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. present — the time now

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