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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. prune — to trim
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stand — to bear
  10. bulb — for light
  11. board — a committee
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. date — the fruit
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. spring — the season
  20. bulb — for light
  21. spring — of water
  22. prune — to trim
  23. spring — a coil
  24. board — to get on

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