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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. snap — to click
  6. charge — a price
  7. object — a thing
  8. object — an aim
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. prune — to trim
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. charge — in control
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. charge — electricity
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. object — to protest
  24. wave — of the sea

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