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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. bulb — for light
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. craft — a skill
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. prune — to trim
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. craft — boats
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. prune — to trim
  24. date — 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