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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. drill — a practice
  3. capital — money
  4. bulb — for light
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. snap — to click
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. tube — a container
  11. bulb — for light
  12. drill — army training
  13. drill — the tool
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. tube — the underground
  22. prune — to trim
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. capital — a city

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