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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. craft — boats
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — a hat
  5. track — a song
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. prune — to trim
  9. swing — to play on
  10. face — to point toward
  11. mine — for digging
  12. track — to keep track
  13. swing — music
  14. craft — a skill
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. face — to confront
  18. prune — to trim
  19. face — part of the head
  20. track — a path
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. swing — in golf
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. cap — of ice

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