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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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. club — a group
  4. staff — employees
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. club — for dancing
  8. charge — a price
  9. present — there
  10. present — a gift
  11. deal — to handle
  12. bass — the fish
  13. club — for golf
  14. staff — employees
  15. cell — in biology
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — electricity
  20. present — the time now
  21. cell — a phone
  22. bass — low music
  23. staff — a stick
  24. deal — an agreement

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