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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 124 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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. staff — employees
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. staff — a stick
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. current — electric
  7. bass — the fish
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. staff — employees
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bass — low music
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. dip — to sink
  17. pit — in a race
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — to trim
  20. stem — to come from
  21. current — happening now
  22. current — of water
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. pit — a hole

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