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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. prune — to trim
  4. deal — to handle
  5. lie — to recline
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. prune — to trim
  8. chip — to eat
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. wax — to grow
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — a stick
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. chip — for betting
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. staff — employees
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. deal — a big deal

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