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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bat — the animal
  3. squash — to crush
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. prune — to trim
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. charge — in control
  11. cap — a hat
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. squash — the sport
  14. stock — goods
  15. tube — the underground
  16. stock — shares
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cap — of ice
  19. charge — electricity
  20. charge — a price
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. prune — to trim
  24. tube — a container

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