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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. bank — for money
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. prune — to trim
  5. craft — a skill
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. chip — for betting
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. chip — to eat
  10. roll — a cake
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. prune — to trim
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. bank — of a river
  17. craft — boats
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bank — for money
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rush — hurry

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