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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. degree — from a university
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. prune — to trim
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. net — in sport
  11. stand — to bear
  12. mug — a cup
  13. net — for catching
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. board — to get on
  16. mug — a face
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. net — after costs
  19. degree — temperature
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. board — a committee
  22. degree — an amount
  23. mug — to rob
  24. chair — a leader

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