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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. pop — music
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. spring — of water
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. fork — in a road
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. spring — the season
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. pop — to visit
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. foot — a measure
  18. hand — help
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. spring — a coil
  22. prune — to trim
  23. pop — soda
  24. fork — a garden tool

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