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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pass — a permit
  4. mate — to breed
  5. fall — the season
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. fall — to drop
  8. mate — a partner
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. fall — to drop
  12. face — to confront
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. face — part of the head
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mate — a friend
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. face — to point toward

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