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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 120 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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. ball — a great time
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bound — obliged
  8. chip — to eat
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. stock — shares
  13. chip — for betting
  14. stock — goods
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bound — tied together
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a skill
  19. bound — certain
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ball — a dance

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