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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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. track — a song
  3. prune — to trim
  4. track — to keep track
  5. date — the fruit
  6. track — a path
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. object — a thing
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. scale — in music
  12. object — an aim
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. firm — decided
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. scale — size or range
  17. firm — steady
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. object — to protest
  21. chest — of your body
  22. chest — of your body
  23. prune — to trim
  24. firm — a company

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