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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. present — the time now
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. pit — in a race
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. pop — soda
  8. spell — magic
  9. pop — music
  10. pop — to visit
  11. spell — letters
  12. charge — a price
  13. present — there
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. present — a gift
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. prune — to trim
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. pit — a hole
  20. prune — to trim
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. charge — electricity
  24. charge — in control

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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