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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — a stick
  4. craft — boats
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. object — a thing
  7. prune — to trim
  8. object — to protest
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. ground — crushed
  11. cold — not warm
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. ground — the earth
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. cold — an illness
  16. staff — employees
  17. suit — clothes
  18. object — an aim
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — to fit
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. ground — a position
  23. prune — to trim
  24. craft — a skill

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