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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — the fruit
  3. prune — to trim
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. mark — a trace
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. charge — a price
  12. lean — thin
  13. charge — electricity
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. prune — to trim
  18. snap — to click
  19. mark — a grade
  20. charge — in control
  21. lean — to bend
  22. stand — to bear
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. mark — to pay attention

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