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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. land — ground
  5. cap — a hat
  6. prune — to trim
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bore — to drill
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. kick — in football
  13. land — to come down
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. cap — a lid
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. land — a country
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bore — to tire
  21. suit — to fit
  22. cap — of ice
  23. suit — in cards
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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