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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. bulb — for light
  5. scale — in music
  6. land — ground
  7. scale — size or range
  8. land — to come down
  9. firm — decided
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. prune — to trim
  13. vault — a safe
  14. club — a group
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. prune — to trim
  17. firm — a company
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. land — a country
  21. firm — steady
  22. club — for dancing
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — of a plant

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