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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. rock — a stone
  3. fine — high quality
  4. drill — a practice
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. current — happening now
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. current — electric
  10. fine — all right
  11. current — of water
  12. branch — a division
  13. rock — music
  14. drill — army training
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. drill — the tool
  17. wound — an injury
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. wound — an injury
  20. prune — to trim
  21. chip — for betting
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. chip — to eat
  24. prune — to trim

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