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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. spring — a coil
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. chip — to eat
  11. prune — to trim
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. object — to protest
  17. chip — for betting
  18. spring — the season
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. object — a thing
  21. spring — of water
  22. object — an aim
  23. wax — to grow
  24. pitch — a sports field

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