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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. prune — to trim
  6. race — humankind
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. race — a contest
  9. current — of water
  10. squash — the sport
  11. vault — a safe
  12. current — electric
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. prune — to trim
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. current — happening now
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. squash — to crush
  23. race — the arms race
  24. safe — out of danger

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