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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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468
Word bank
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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. spring — a coil
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. prune — to trim
  6. rock — a stone
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. club — a group
  9. row — a line
  10. spring — of water
  11. club — for golf
  12. prune — to trim
  13. spring — the season
  14. rock — music
  15. row — to paddle
  16. key — the most important part
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. pit — in a race
  19. key — in music
  20. key — for a lock
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. club — for dancing

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