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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. kick — in football
  3. pit — a hole
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. chip — to eat
  6. craft — boats
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. saw — the tool
  9. cue — a hint
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. cue — for pool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. pit — in a race
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. craft — a skill
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. prune — to trim
  21. chip — for betting
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. cue — a signal
  24. leaves — of a tree

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