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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mug — a face
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. prune — to trim
  7. wake — a trail
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. roll — a list
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. charge — electricity
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. charge — in control
  16. prune — to trim
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. charge — a price
  20. mug — a cup
  21. roll — a cake
  22. mine — for digging
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. roll — on a roll

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