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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. perch — the fish
  3. prune — to trim
  4. chest — a box
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. vault — a safe
  8. face — to point toward
  9. bass — low music
  10. chest — of your body
  11. key — the most important part
  12. face — to confront
  13. chest — of your body
  14. key — in music
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. key — for a lock
  19. face — part of the head
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — the fish
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — clothes

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