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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rest — what's left
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. rest — a break
  10. bark — to shout
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. rule — government
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. rule — a law
  16. rest — what's left
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. safe — out of danger

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