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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. game — a match
  3. swing — to play on
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. bulb — for light
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. bulb — for light
  13. game — wild animals
  14. swing — music
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. prune — to trim
  18. fine — all right
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. fine — high quality
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — to bear
  24. swing — in golf

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