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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. prune — to trim
  5. wind — moving air
  6. prune — to trim
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. fork — in a road
  9. current — happening now
  10. board — a committee
  11. current — of water
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. current — electric
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — for light
  24. board — to get on

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