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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. firm — decided
  3. drill — army training
  4. prune — to trim
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. lie — to recline
  7. root — the cause
  8. firm — a company
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. root — of a word
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. ball — a great time
  13. rush — hurry
  14. roll — a cake
  15. root — of a plant
  16. firm — steady
  17. drill — a practice
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. drill — the tool
  23. prune — to trim
  24. roll — a list

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