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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pit — in a race
  4. date — the fruit
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. pit — a hole
  10. spell — magic
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. spell — letters
  14. perch — the fish
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. toast — bread
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. vault — a safe

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