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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 cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. prune — to trim
  4. charge — a price
  5. ball — a dance
  6. cap — a hat
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. pit — in a race
  14. charge — in control
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cap — of ice
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. charge — electricity
  21. pit — a hole
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. date — the fruit

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