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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — a grade
  4. chip — for betting
  5. race — the arms race
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. ball — a dance
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. prune — to trim
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. race — a contest
  12. squash — the sport
  13. race — humankind
  14. ball — a great time
  15. staff — a stick
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. staff — employees
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. squash — to crush
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. chip — to eat
  22. staff — employees
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. ball — a round shape

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