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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. mark — a trace
  3. bass — low music
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. spell — letters
  6. charge — electricity
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bulb — for light
  10. charge — a price
  11. bear — the animal
  12. plane — a tool
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. spell — a short time
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bulb — for light
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bass — the fish
  23. charge — in control
  24. spell — magic

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