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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 120 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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. suit — clothes
  3. cell — in biology
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. key — for a lock
  6. key — in music
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. suit — to fit
  10. prune — to trim
  11. suit — in cards
  12. club — for dancing
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. key — the most important part
  16. club — a group
  17. club — for golf
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. cell — a phone
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. stick — to attach or keep 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