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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 120 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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. staff — employees
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — the fish
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. staff — a stick
  11. cap — a lid
  12. staff — employees
  13. cap — a hat
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. prune — to trim
  21. mine — for digging
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — animal skin

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