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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 120 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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. club — for golf
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bulb — for light
  8. club — a group
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. can — to be able to
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. rash — a series
  13. rash — hasty
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. club — for dancing
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bear — the animal
  24. can — a tin

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