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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  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. leaves — of a tree
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bass — low music
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. march — music
  12. pitch — completely
  13. mine — for digging
  14. bass — the fish
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. march — the month
  19. march — the month
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. racket — for tennis
  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