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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. kick — in football
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. rock — a stone
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. season — of the year
  9. board — a committee
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. board — to get on
  15. rock — music
  16. season — in sport
  17. cap — a lid
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. cap — of ice
  21. bear — the animal
  22. prune — to trim
  23. cap — a hat
  24. prune — the fruit

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