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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. bulb — for light
  3. track — a song
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. dip — to sink
  9. firm — a company
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. prune — to trim
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bulb — for light
  16. track — to keep track
  17. firm — steady
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. track — a path
  21. firm — decided
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rash — hasty
  24. prune — to trim

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