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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 chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. bulb — for light
  3. sharp — clever
  4. lean — thin
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. rock — music
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. branch — a division
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. lean — to bend
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bulb — for light
  21. date — the fruit
  22. rock — a stone
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. date — on the calendar

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