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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. mark — a trace
  4. lie — to recline
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. charge — a price
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. charge — in control
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. snap — to click
  12. mark — a grade
  13. rule — a law
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. bear — the animal
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bear — the animal
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. rule — government
  24. charge — electricity

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