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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. prune — to trim
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. rest — what's left
  8. toast — bread
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. board — a committee
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. chip — to eat
  14. tube — a container
  15. rest — a break
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. board — to get on
  20. rest — what's left
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. tube — the underground
  23. chip — for betting
  24. arm — part of the body

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