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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — to trim
  6. season — in sport
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. sharp — clever
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. season — of the year
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. cap — a hat
  13. board — to get on
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. lean — to bend
  18. bulb — for light
  19. lean — thin
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — a committee
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. cap — of ice
  24. lean — to rest against

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