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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. fork — in a road
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. prune — to trim
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. current — of water
  7. current — happening now
  8. last — final
  9. bat — the animal
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. rock — a stone
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. last — finally
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. current — electric
  20. board — a committee
  21. last — to go on
  22. rock — music
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. board — to get on

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