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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. fine — all right
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pit — in a race
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. object — to protest
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. object — an aim
  11. spell — magic
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. spell — a short time
  15. fine — high quality
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. track — to keep track
  18. prune — to trim
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. track — a path
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. spell — letters
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. object — a thing

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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