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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. wake — a trail
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. prune — to trim
  8. mate — to breed
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bulb — for light
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. bulb — for light
  13. prune — to trim
  14. key — for a lock
  15. pit — a hole
  16. key — the most important part
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. deal — to handle
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. key — in music
  23. mate — a friend
  24. pit — in a race

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