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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. season — of the year
  4. track — a song
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. root — the cause
  8. track — to keep track
  9. root — of a word
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. season — in sport
  12. pitch — completely
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a great time
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. root — of a plant
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. track — a path
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. prune — to trim
  23. pitch — a sports field
  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