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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. cue — a signal
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. lean — thin
  6. lean — to bend
  7. degree — an amount
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. craft — boats
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. degree — from a university
  13. foot — a measure
  14. cue — for pool
  15. craft — a skill
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. degree — temperature
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. cue — a hint
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. prune — to trim

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