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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. club — a group
  5. saw — the tool
  6. rock — a stone
  7. march — the month
  8. object — a thing
  9. saw — the tool
  10. march — the month
  11. object — to protest
  12. object — an aim
  13. rock — music
  14. march — music
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. prune — to trim
  19. club — for golf
  20. kid — to tease
  21. club — for dancing
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. kid — child

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