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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. track — a path
  3. swing — music
  4. prune — to trim
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. cap — a lid
  7. track — a song
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. swing — in golf
  10. present — the time now
  11. prune — to trim
  12. cap — of ice
  13. scale — in music
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. present — a gift
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. scale — size or range
  18. track — to keep track
  19. foot — a measure
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. swing — to play on
  23. cap — a hat
  24. present — there

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