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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. firm — a company
  8. firm — steady
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. spring — a coil
  11. spring — of water
  12. rock — a stone
  13. prune — to trim
  14. chair — a leader
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. firm — decided
  19. bulb — for light
  20. spring — the season
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. bulb — for light
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. rock — music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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