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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. prune — to trim
  5. fall — the season
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. foot — a measure
  9. rock — music
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. prune — to trim
  13. mark — a trace
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. rock — a stone
  16. mark — a grade
  17. fall — to drop
  18. deal — to handle

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