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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. present — the time now
  4. track — to keep track
  5. present — a gift
  6. can — a tin
  7. land — to come down
  8. track — a path
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. can — to be able to
  11. prune — to trim
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. track — a song
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. land — ground
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. prune — to trim
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. land — a country
  21. chair — a leader
  22. can — a tin
  23. present — there
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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