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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. race — the arms race
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rash — a series
  6. race — a contest
  7. staff — employees
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. scale — size or range
  17. bulb — for light
  18. race — humankind
  19. dip — to sink
  20. staff — a stick
  21. prune — to trim
  22. staff — employees
  23. scale — in music
  24. prune — to trim

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