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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. fork — in a road
  4. staff — employees
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. prune — to trim
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. staff — a stick
  9. track — to keep track
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pitch — completely
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. staff — employees
  16. club — a group
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. track — a path
  20. track — a song
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. club — for dancing
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. club — for golf

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