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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. key — the most important part
  3. object — a thing
  4. chip — to eat
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. row — to paddle
  7. object — an aim
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. squash — to crush
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. key — in music
  13. prune — to trim
  14. object — to protest
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. row — a line
  17. chip — for betting
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. key — for a lock
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. squash — the sport
  24. safe — a strongbox

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