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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 120 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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. key — in music
  3. chip — for betting
  4. wax — to grow
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. field — for sport
  7. prune — to trim
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. key — for a lock
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. chair — a leader
  15. chip — to eat
  16. field — a subject
  17. wake — a trail
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. bulb — for light
  21. prune — to trim
  22. field — farmland
  23. key — the most important part
  24. wax — in the ear

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