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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. pop — to visit
  5. mate — a friend
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. charge — in control
  8. prune — to trim
  9. pop — soda
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. prune — to trim
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. pop — music
  16. mate — a partner
  17. foot — a measure
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. mate — to breed
  21. tube — the underground
  22. charge — a price
  23. tube — a container
  24. charge — electricity

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