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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 120 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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. firm — a company
  3. pop — to visit
  4. root — of a plant
  5. ball — a dance
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. root — the cause
  8. pop — soda
  9. club — a group
  10. root — of a word
  11. plane — a tool
  12. club — for golf
  13. pop — music
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. firm — decided
  16. ball — a great time
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. pass — a permit
  19. club — for dancing
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. prune — to trim
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. firm — steady

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