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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 120 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 cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. prune — to trim
  5. current — happening now
  6. capital — money
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. current — electric
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. object — an aim
  11. rush — hurry
  12. object — to protest
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. current — of water
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. bulb — for light
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. object — a thing
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. capital — a city
  24. capital — a big letter

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