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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. ball — a great time
  4. pit — in a race
  5. ball — a dance
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. prune — to trim
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. pit — a hole
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. board — a committee
  21. prune — to trim
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. board — to get on

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