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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. spell — letters
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. stock — shares
  8. stock — goods
  9. bear — the animal
  10. kick — in football
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. spell — magic
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bear — the animal
  16. spell — a short time
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — electricity
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — in cards
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. prune — to trim
  23. charge — in control
  24. wax — to grow

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