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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rest — what's left
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. rash — hasty
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. rest — a break
  12. ground — a position
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. prune — to trim
  15. ground — crushed
  16. bulb — for light
  17. mug — a cup
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. ground — the earth
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rash — a series
  23. prune — to trim
  24. mug — to rob

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