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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. track — a song
  3. perch — the fish
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. track — a path
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. pound — a weight
  11. race — a contest
  12. stand — to bear
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. race — the arms race
  15. race — humankind
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. prune — to trim
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. lie — to recline
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. track — to keep track
  24. stand — for spectators

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