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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. current — happening now
  9. pop — soda
  10. prune — to trim
  11. current — electric
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. current — of water
  14. pop — music
  15. club — for dancing
  16. club — a group
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. spell — a short time
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. club — for golf
  21. spell — magic
  22. spell — letters
  23. kid — to tease
  24. pop — to visit

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