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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bulb — for light
  3. prune — to trim
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. prune — to trim
  6. pop — music
  7. bulb — for light
  8. plane — a tool
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. stock — goods
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. stock — shares
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. wax — to grow
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — to visit

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