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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. suit — in cards
  3. spell — a short time
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. fork — in a road
  6. bulb — for light
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. spell — magic
  9. race — the arms race
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. spell — letters
  13. suit — to fit
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. suit — clothes
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bulb — for light
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. race — humankind
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. race — a contest
  24. prune — the fruit

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