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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. mark — a trace
  4. board — to get on
  5. cap — a hat
  6. prune — to trim
  7. mark — a grade
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. cap — of ice
  11. current — electric
  12. track — to keep track
  13. track — a song
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. current — happening now
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. track — a path
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. board — a committee
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cap — a lid
  24. current — of water

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