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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. march — the month
  3. stock — goods
  4. prune — to trim
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. march — music
  9. wax — to grow
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. march — the month
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. stock — shares
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. prune — to trim
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. vault — a safe
  24. leaves — to go away

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