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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. club — for dancing
  7. club — a group
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. lie — to recline
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. board — to get on
  12. key — for a lock
  13. club — for golf
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. ball — a great time
  16. key — the most important part
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. prune — to trim
  19. ball — a dance
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. key — in music
  24. board — a committee

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