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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. track — a song
  3. ground — the earth
  4. bulb — for light
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. wake — a trail
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. prune — to trim
  11. track — a path
  12. swing — music
  13. bulb — for light
  14. firm — decided
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. swing — to play on
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. track — to keep track
  19. ground — a position
  20. prune — to trim
  21. ground — crushed
  22. swing — in golf
  23. firm — a company
  24. firm — steady

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