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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wake — a trail
  5. prune — to trim
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. prune — to trim
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. bulb — for light
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. kick — in football
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. squash — the sport
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. squash — to crush
  24. bulb — for light

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