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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. prune — to trim
  4. current — happening now
  5. spell — a short time
  6. band — a music group
  7. cue — a signal
  8. rest — a break
  9. current — electric
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. spell — magic
  12. rest — what's left
  13. prune — to trim
  14. cue — a hint
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. cue — for pool
  17. spell — letters
  18. current — of water
  19. roll — a cake
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. roll — a list
  22. rest — what's left
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. band — a ring

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