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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 always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. object — an aim
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. spring — the season
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. spring — a coil
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. object — a thing
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. object — to protest
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bulb — for light
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. spring — of water
  24. bulb — for light

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