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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. prune — to trim
  3. march — the month
  4. march — the month
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. prune — to trim
  7. perch — the fish
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. hand — help
  12. march — music
  13. hand — in cards
  14. club — a group
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. club — for golf
  17. club — for dancing
  18. mug — a cup
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mug — a face
  24. deal — an agreement

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