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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. prune — to trim
  3. firm — steady
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. prune — to trim
  6. cue — a signal
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. date — the fruit
  9. current — of water
  10. current — electric
  11. object — an aim
  12. firm — a company
  13. cue — a hint
  14. fine — all right
  15. row — to paddle
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. cue — for pool
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. current — happening now
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. object — a thing
  23. object — to protest
  24. firm — decided

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