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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. race — a contest
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. race — the arms race
  7. prune — to trim
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. race — humankind
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. prune — to trim
  14. perch — the fish
  15. bulb — for light
  16. suit — in cards
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bulb — for light
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. plane — a tool
  24. suit — to fit

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