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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. row — a line
  3. row — to paddle
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. staff — a stick
  11. cap — a lid
  12. vault — a safe
  13. staff — employees
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. prune — to trim
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. cap — of ice
  20. pound — a weight
  21. prune — to trim
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. staff — employees

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