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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 cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — to trim
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. bulb — for light
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. bulb — for light
  7. field — a subject
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. current — electric
  10. rash — a series
  11. current — of water
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. current — happening now
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. fine — all right
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — high quality
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. field — farmland
  21. field — for sport
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. rash — hasty
  24. leaves — lets stay

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