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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — to trim
  3. spell — a short time
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. spell — letters
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. spell — magic
  8. chip — to eat
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. chip — for betting
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cap — a lid
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bore — to tire
  18. shower — to wash
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. shower — rain
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. pass — a permit
  24. cap — a hat

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