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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. pop — to visit
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. pop — soda
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. rush — hurry
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. bulb — for light
  10. kick — in football
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. pop — music
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. squash — to crush
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. bulb — for light
  21. sharp — clever
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. squash — the sport

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