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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. cue — for pool
  3. prune — to trim
  4. present — a gift
  5. pop — music
  6. prune — to trim
  7. charge — electricity
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. bear — the animal
  11. kid — child
  12. pop — soda
  13. charge — in control
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. present — the time now
  17. charge — a price
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. present — there
  21. cue — a hint
  22. pop — to visit
  23. cue — a signal
  24. kid — to tease

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