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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. club — a group
  4. staff — employees
  5. sharp — clever
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. prune — to trim
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. court — for sport
  11. staff — a stick
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — a trace
  14. court — of law
  15. court — of a king
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — an injury
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. club — for golf
  23. staff — employees
  24. club — for dancing

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