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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. charge — electricity
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. foot — a measure
  9. stock — shares
  10. charge — in control
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rule — government
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. date — the fruit
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — to trim
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. charge — a price
  24. rule — a law

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