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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. craft — a skill
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. prune — to trim
  6. rule — a law
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. rule — government
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. rock — music
  11. band — a ring
  12. prune — to trim
  13. band — a music group
  14. track — a song
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. track — a path
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. craft — boats
  20. track — to keep track
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. rule — to rule out

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