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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. shower — to wash
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. object — a thing
  5. foot — a measure
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. prune — to trim
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. can — a tin
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. pass — a permit
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. object — an aim
  19. shower — rain
  20. object — to protest
  21. prune — to trim
  22. can — a tin
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. can — to be able to

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