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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. rest — a break
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pop — soda
  6. shower — to wash
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. scale — size or range
  13. rest — what's left
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. pop — music
  16. chip — for betting
  17. rest — what's left
  18. chip — to eat
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. prune — to trim
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. prune — to trim
  23. shower — rain
  24. scale — in music

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