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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. chip — for betting
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. bound — obliged
  12. kick — in football
  13. mate — a friend
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. mate — to breed
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. prune — to trim
  18. mate — a partner
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bound — tied together
  22. chip — to eat
  23. bound — certain
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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