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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. prune — to trim
  3. swing — in golf
  4. bulb — for light
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. firm — steady
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. mine — for digging
  10. fork — in a road
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pit — a hole
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. prune — to trim
  15. firm — decided
  16. firm — a company
  17. stand — to bear
  18. swing — to play on
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bulb — for light
  21. swing — music
  22. pit — in a race
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. stand — for spectators

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