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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. rest — what's left
  3. pitch — completely
  4. current — of water
  5. prune — to trim
  6. rash — hasty
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. current — electric
  9. cue — for pool
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. cue — a signal
  15. rest — a break
  16. rash — a series
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. vault — a safe
  20. rest — what's left
  21. cue — a hint
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. current — happening now
  24. plane — a tool

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