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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. rock — music
  3. ball — a great time
  4. lean — thin
  5. dip — to sink
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. deal — to handle
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. prune — to trim
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. pass — a permit
  12. ball — a dance
  13. lean — to bend
  14. current — electric
  15. prune — to trim
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. current — happening now
  18. rock — a stone
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. current — of water
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. deal — a big deal

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