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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.

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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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. prune — the fruit
  4. row — a line
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. row — to paddle
  9. present — a gift
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. lie — to recline
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. tube — the underground
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. present — there
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. present — the time now
  20. craft — a skill
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. craft — boats
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — a container

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