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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. craft — a skill
  4. bulb — for light
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. craft — boats
  7. pass — a permit
  8. clip — to cut
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. prune — to trim
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. clip — a video
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stand — to bear
  17. game — wild animals
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. lie — to recline
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. clip — for paper
  24. lie — an untruth

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