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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ground · prune · suit · leaves · last · ball · chip · stick

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  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. leaves — to go away
  2. ball — a great time
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. prune — to trim
  5. ground — a position
  6. suit — in cards
  7. last — finally
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. suit — to fit
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. suit — clothes
  14. last — to go on
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. last — final
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. chip — for betting
  19. ground — crushed
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a dance
  22. prune — to trim
  23. ground — the earth
  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