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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. mug — to rob
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — to fit
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. lean — to bend
  13. bulb — for light
  14. clip — to cut
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. clip — a video
  19. suit — clothes
  20. prune — to trim
  21. mug — a face
  22. clip — for paper
  23. prune — to trim
  24. lean — thin

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