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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. scale — in music
  3. pit — a hole
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. swing — in golf
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. cold — not warm
  10. charge — in control
  11. swing — music
  12. prune — to trim
  13. charge — a price
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. bank — for money
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. pit — in a race
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. scale — size or range
  20. prune — to trim
  21. charge — electricity
  22. swing — to play on
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. cold — an illness

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