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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. squash — to crush
  4. spell — a short time
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pound — a weight
  9. prune — to trim
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. spell — letters
  12. squash — the sport
  13. roll — a cake
  14. ball — a great time
  15. roll — a list
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. bass — low music
  19. ball — a dance
  20. bass — the fish
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. prune — to trim
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. pit — a hole

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