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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. current — happening now
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. date — the fruit
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. current — electric
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. cell — a phone
  14. prune — to trim
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. current — of water
  17. pass — a permit
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. cell — in biology
  24. stand — to bear

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