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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 116 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 tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  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 — to trim
  2. charge — a price
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. rock — music
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. key — for a lock
  7. perch — the fish
  8. key — the most important part
  9. scale — in music
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. deal — to handle
  14. charge — electricity
  15. charge — in control
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. rock — a stone
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. key — in music
  21. scale — size or range
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. coach — a trainer
  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