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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 116 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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. sharp — clever
  3. rest — a break
  4. bank — of a river
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. rest — what's left
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. bank — for money
  10. hand — help
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wake — a trail
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. bank — for money
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. rest — what's left
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. prune — to trim
  24. hand — in cards

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