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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. pitch — completely
  4. rock — music
  5. rock — a stone
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. wax — to grow
  8. current — electric
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. chip — for betting
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. current — of water
  14. stock — goods
  15. stand — to bear
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. stock — shares
  18. prune — to trim
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. chip — to eat
  22. current — happening now
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. prune — the fruit

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