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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. roll — a cake
  4. charge — electricity
  5. prune — to trim
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. snap — to click
  8. date — the fruit
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. bank — for money
  13. charge — in control
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. prune — to trim
  18. pitch — completely
  19. roll — a list
  20. charge — a price
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — of a river
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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