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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. spell — a short time
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. craft — a skill
  7. pop — music
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. ball — a great time
  10. current — of water
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. staff — employees
  13. prune — to trim
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pop — soda
  17. current — happening now
  18. spell — letters
  19. ball — a dance
  20. craft — boats
  21. spell — magic
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — a stick
  24. current — electric

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