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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. current — happening now
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. rock — a stone
  5. prune — to trim
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. prune — to trim
  8. tear — from crying
  9. rest — what's left
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. tear — from crying
  13. current — electric
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. deal — to handle
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. tear — to rip
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. club — for dancing
  20. club — a group
  21. club — for golf
  22. rock — music
  23. current — of water
  24. rest — a break

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