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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. staff — employees
  3. firm — decided
  4. staff — a stick
  5. prune — to trim
  6. staff — employees
  7. band — a ring
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. current — happening now
  10. firm — a company
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. band — a music group
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. firm — steady
  21. current — of water
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. current — electric

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