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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. lean — to bend
  3. race — a contest
  4. race — the arms race
  5. prune — to trim
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. cue — a signal
  8. capital — money
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. prune — to trim
  14. cue — a hint
  15. cue — for pool
  16. mug — a cup
  17. perch — the fish
  18. stand — to bear
  19. mug — to rob
  20. capital — a city
  21. mug — a face
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. race — humankind
  24. stand — for spectators

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