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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. cell — in biology
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. root — of a word
  5. drill — a practice
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. mug — a face
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. mug — to rob
  12. cell — a phone
  13. root — the cause
  14. drill — the tool
  15. rash — a series
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. drill — army training
  18. prune — to trim
  19. mug — a cup
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. root — of a plant
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rash — hasty

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