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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 hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. stand — to bear
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pit — a hole
  7. root — of a word
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. hand — help
  11. swing — in golf
  12. pit — in a race
  13. root — the cause
  14. prune — to trim
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. root — of a plant
  17. prune — to trim
  18. swing — music
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. swing — to play on
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. date — the fruit
  24. hand — in cards

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