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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. prune — to trim
  3. firm — a company
  4. fine — high quality
  5. pop — to visit
  6. capital — a city
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. fork — in a road
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. fine — all right
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. firm — steady
  14. firm — decided
  15. pop — music
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. pop — soda
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. prune — to trim
  20. pit — in a race
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. capital — money
  24. pit — a hole

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