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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. track — to keep track
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. club — a group
  8. track — a path
  9. club — for dancing
  10. squash — to crush
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. prune — to trim
  15. squash — the sport
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. club — for golf
  18. prune — to trim
  19. band — a ring
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. wake — a trail
  22. track — a song
  23. band — a music group
  24. pit — in a race

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