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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 116 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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — what's left
  4. dip — to sink
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. mug — a face
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bulb — for light
  10. rest — a break
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. wake — a trail
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a path
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. mug — a cup
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. track — a song
  23. mug — to rob
  24. bulb — for light

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