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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. date — the fruit
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. firm — steady
  7. lean — thin
  8. lean — to bend
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. cue — for pool
  12. snap — to click
  13. prune — to trim
  14. cue — a hint
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. cue — a signal
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — decided

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