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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — to trim
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — to bear
  5. drill — the tool
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. charge — a price
  10. drill — a practice
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. ball — a great time
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. charge — in control
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. date — the fruit
  22. charge — electricity
  23. ball — a dance
  24. drill — army training

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