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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. stock — shares
  5. stock — goods
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. prune — to trim
  9. rule — a law
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. rule — government
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. bark — to shout
  21. wake — a trail
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. prune — the fruit

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