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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. prune — to trim
  4. vault — a safe
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. prune — to trim
  11. sharp — clever
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. bulb — for light
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. rock — music
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. rock — a stone
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. bulb — for light
  24. cabinet — ministers

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