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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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. firm — decided
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pass — a permit
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. firm — steady
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. roll — a list
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. roll — a cake
  17. firm — a company
  18. scale — in music
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — to trim
  24. scale — size or range

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