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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 120 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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  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. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. track — a song
  4. suit — in cards
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. prune — to trim
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bore — to tire
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. track — a path
  14. stand — to bear
  15. suit — clothes
  16. present — a gift
  17. prune — to trim
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bore — to drill
  22. track — to keep track
  23. present — there
  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