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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 asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. spell — magic
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. spell — a short time
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. prune — to trim
  7. land — to come down
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. land — ground
  10. chip — for betting
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. squash — to crush
  14. chip — to eat
  15. land — a country
  16. present — there
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. present — the time now
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. squash — the sport
  21. present — a gift
  22. spell — letters
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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