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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — for light
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. firm — decided
  6. firm — steady
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. chip — to eat
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. deal — to handle
  14. prune — to trim
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. firm — a company
  21. chip — for betting
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. prune — to trim
  24. calf — of the leg

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