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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. rest — a break
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — a stick
  5. club — for dancing
  6. rest — what's left
  7. present — there
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. prune — to trim
  12. current — electric
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. club — a group
  16. club — for golf
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. present — a gift
  19. current — happening now
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. present — the time now
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. current — of water
  24. staff — employees

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