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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 116 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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. present — the time now
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — to trim
  13. cue — a signal
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. present — there
  17. bark — to shout
  18. pitch — completely
  19. cue — for pool
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. cue — a hint

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