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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. object — an aim
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — to trim
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. object — a thing
  9. lean — thin
  10. firm — a company
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. object — to protest
  14. drill — the tool
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. firm — decided
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lean — to bend
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. firm — steady
  23. drill — a practice
  24. drill — army training

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