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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. season — in sport
  5. plane — a tool
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. season — of the year
  8. bulb — for light
  9. fine — high quality
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bulb — for light
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. fine — all right
  18. fork — in a road
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. prune — to trim

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