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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. land — a country
  5. stem — to come from
  6. land — to come down
  7. prune — to trim
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. land — ground
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. deal — to handle
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rock — music
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. present — there
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — a gift
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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