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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. ball — a dance
  3. saw — the tool
  4. present — there
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — a stick
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a great time
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. staff — employees
  14. degree — temperature
  15. present — the time now
  16. prune — to trim
  17. degree — from a university
  18. prune — to trim
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. saw — the tool
  21. present — a gift
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. degree — an amount

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