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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  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. arm — part of the body
  2. prune — to trim
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. charge — in control
  5. spell — a short time
  6. squash — to crush
  7. spell — magic
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. squash — the sport
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. spell — letters
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a song
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. track — a path
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — a price
  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