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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. ground — the earth
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. charge — in control
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. branch — a division
  9. swing — music
  10. ground — a position
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. charge — electricity
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. rule — a law
  15. swing — in golf
  16. prune — to trim
  17. chair — a leader
  18. rule — government
  19. swing — to play on
  20. charge — a price
  21. prune — to trim
  22. ground — crushed
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. chair — to sit on

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