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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bulb — for light
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. club — a group
  5. prune — to trim
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. firm — decided
  8. prune — to trim
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. firm — a company
  11. rush — hurry
  12. lie — to recline
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. roll — a cake
  16. bulb — for light
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. club — for dancing
  20. roll — a list
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. club — for golf
  24. firm — steady

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