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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. scale — size or range
  3. scale — in music
  4. prune — to trim
  5. board — a committee
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. pitch — completely
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. board — to get on
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. shower — rain
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. shower — to wash
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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