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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. chip — for betting
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pit — in a race
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. prune — to trim
  11. mark — a grade
  12. lean — to bend
  13. chip — to eat
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. key — the most important part
  16. current — of water
  17. mark — a trace
  18. current — happening now
  19. key — in music
  20. key — for a lock
  21. current — electric
  22. lean — thin
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. lean — to rest against

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