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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bulb — for light
  5. charge — a price
  6. charge — electricity
  7. fine — high quality
  8. bass — low music
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. firm — steady
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. charge — in control
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bass — the fish
  20. firm — decided
  21. fine — all right
  22. bulb — for light
  23. firm — a company
  24. prune — to trim

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