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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. prune — to trim
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — a committee
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. roll — a list
  10. kid — to tease
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. object — to protest
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. object — an aim
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. roll — a cake
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. present — a gift
  19. board — to get on
  20. present — there
  21. kid — child
  22. object — a thing
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. present — the time now

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