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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. prune — to trim
  4. foot — a measure
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. wake — a trail
  8. race — a contest
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. perch — the fish
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. spell — a short time
  13. prune — to trim
  14. spell — letters
  15. club — a group
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. spell — magic
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. race — humankind
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. club — for dancing
  22. club — for golf
  23. race — the arms race
  24. perch — for a bird

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