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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. rule — a law
  3. prune — to trim
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. rule — government
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. ball — a great time
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a dance
  18. object — to protest
  19. bulb — for light
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. object — a thing
  22. object — an aim
  23. bulb — for light
  24. perch — for a bird

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