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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. track — a song
  3. key — in music
  4. foot — a measure
  5. track — to keep track
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. key — for a lock
  8. key — the most important part
  9. dip — to sink
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. wake — a trail
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. track — a path
  14. plane — a tool
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. prune — to trim
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. rock — music
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. rock — a stone
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. prune — to trim

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