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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. land — a country
  4. mate — a partner
  5. staff — employees
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. firm — a company
  8. prune — to trim
  9. scale — in music
  10. firm — steady
  11. staff — employees
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. prune — to trim
  15. staff — a stick
  16. firm — decided
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. mate — a friend
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. land — to come down
  21. mate — to breed
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. land — ground

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