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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 116 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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. suit — clothes
  3. court — for sport
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. chip — for betting
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. chip — to eat
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. plane — a tool
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. prune — to trim
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. suit — in cards
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. court — of a king
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. court — of law

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