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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. club — a group
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. ball — a dance
  7. board — a committee
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. board — to get on
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. ball — a great time
  13. club — for dancing
  14. prune — to trim
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. dip — to sink
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. club — for golf
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. arm — part of the body

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