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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bear — the animal
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. current — electric
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — electricity
  8. last — to go on
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bear — the animal
  11. last — finally
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. last — final
  14. current — of water
  15. mine — for digging
  16. charge — a price
  17. bulb — for light
  18. current — happening now
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. prune — to trim
  24. straw — a straw man

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