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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. rock — a stone
  7. root — the cause
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. chip — to eat
  10. pitch — completely
  11. rock — music
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. root — of a plant
  16. rush — hurry
  17. chip — for betting
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. root — of a word
  20. season — in sport
  21. season — of the year
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. prune — to trim
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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