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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. date — the fruit
  3. current — happening now
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pitch — completely
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. current — of water
  9. mate — a friend
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. mate — a partner
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — to trim
  14. degree — temperature
  15. chair — a leader
  16. degree — from a university
  17. current — electric
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. degree — an amount
  20. mate — to breed
  21. rock — music
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. prune — the fruit

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