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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. board — to get on
  5. bulb — for light
  6. prune — to trim
  7. rock — music
  8. object — an aim
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. foot — a measure
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. content — happy
  14. object — to protest
  15. content — the amount
  16. rock — a stone
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bulb — for light
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — a committee
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. foot — part of the body

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