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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — a stick
  5. staff — employees
  6. club — for golf
  7. charge — electricity
  8. craft — boats
  9. hand — in cards
  10. charge — a price
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. prune — to trim
  15. club — a group
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. charge — in control
  20. perch — the fish
  21. craft — a skill
  22. club — for dancing
  23. bulb — for light
  24. hand — help

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