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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. prune — to trim
  4. ground — crushed
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. prune — to trim
  7. pit — in a race
  8. bank — of a river
  9. ground — a position
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — in music
  12. bank — for money
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. pit — a hole
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. key — the most important part
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. bank — for money

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