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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 can't ________________ this cold.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. stand — to bear
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. bank — of a river
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. bank — for money
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bank — for money
  10. charge — electricity
  11. spring — the season
  12. snap — to click
  13. charge — in control
  14. prune — to trim
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — boats
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. chip — for betting
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. spring — of water
  21. prune — to trim
  22. spring — a coil
  23. charge — a price
  24. chip — to eat

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