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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. cap — of ice
  3. rest — what's left
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. prune — to trim
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ball — a dance
  8. mug — to rob
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. kid — child
  11. cap — a lid
  12. rest — what's left
  13. cap — a hat
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. mug — a cup
  16. mug — a face
  17. kid — to tease
  18. rest — a break

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