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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. rest — what's left
  3. prune — to trim
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. staff — employees
  6. rash — hasty
  7. pit — in a race
  8. rest — what's left
  9. scale — in music
  10. staff — employees
  11. chip — for betting
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. rash — a series
  16. season — in sport
  17. pit — a hole
  18. rest — a break
  19. staff — a stick
  20. prune — to trim
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. season — of the year
  23. chip — to eat
  24. rash — on the skin

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