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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 like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. prune — to trim
  3. hand — help
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. prune — to trim
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. pitch — completely
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rest — a break
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rest — what's left
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. hand — in cards
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. dip — to sink
  20. rest — what's left
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. pass — a permit

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