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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 124 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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. charge — a price
  4. vault — a safe
  5. charge — electricity
  6. track — a song
  7. present — there
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. track — to keep track
  11. present — a gift
  12. game — a match
  13. present — the time now
  14. game — wild animals
  15. track — a path
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. charge — in control
  20. perch — the fish
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. prune — to trim
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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