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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 116 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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. fine — high quality
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. shower — rain
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. present — there
  16. present — the time now
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. shower — to wash
  19. fine — all right
  20. prune — to trim
  21. present — a gift
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. pitch — completely

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