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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. cap — a hat
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. firm — decided
  6. mark — a trace
  7. pit — a hole
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mark — a grade
  11. cap — of ice
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. cap — a lid
  14. firm — a company
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pit — in a race
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. prune — to trim
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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