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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. cue — a hint
  4. prune — to trim
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. rest — what's left
  7. dip — to sink
  8. bulb — for light
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bulb — for light
  15. ground — a position
  16. rest — what's left
  17. ground — the earth
  18. cue — for pool
  19. ground — crushed
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. cue — a signal
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rest — a break
  24. bass — low music

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