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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. prune — to trim
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. bulb — for light
  5. land — ground
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. land — to come down
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. clip — for paper
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — to recline
  14. clip — to cut
  15. clip — a video
  16. bulb — for light
  17. prune — to trim
  18. stand — to bear
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. land — a country
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. stand — on your feet

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