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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. rock — a stone
  3. present — there
  4. prune — to trim
  5. present — the time now
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. suit — clothes
  8. chip — to eat
  9. suit — to fit
  10. tube — a container
  11. tube — the underground
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. prune — to trim
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. rock — music
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. suit — in cards
  21. chip — for betting
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. present — a gift

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