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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bass — the fish
  6. mate — to breed
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. object — an aim
  9. rule — a law
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. row — a line
  12. mate — a partner
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. row — to paddle
  15. object — a thing
  16. pit — in a race
  17. object — to protest
  18. prune — to trim
  19. rule — government
  20. pit — a hole
  21. mate — a friend
  22. bass — low music
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. prune — to trim

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