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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. pop — to visit
  4. club — for dancing
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. prune — to trim
  8. firm — decided
  9. cue — a hint
  10. firm — a company
  11. pop — music
  12. club — a group
  13. cue — a signal
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. bear — the animal
  16. pop — soda
  17. cue — for pool
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. prune — to trim
  20. firm — steady
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. bat — the animal
  23. club — for golf
  24. bear — to put up with

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