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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — employees
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. current — happening now
  8. fork — in a road
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. current — electric
  12. current — of water
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. staff — a stick
  15. prune — to trim
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. pitch — completely
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mug — a face
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a dance
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. pitch — a sports field

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