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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. prune — to trim
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. pop — music
  10. object — to protest
  11. pop — to visit
  12. object — an aim
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. prune — to trim
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. pitch — completely
  18. board — to get on
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. kick — in football
  21. pop — soda
  22. board — a committee
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. object — a thing

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