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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 like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. bound — obliged
  4. rest — what's left
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. bound — tied together
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — clothes
  12. current — of water
  13. rest — what's left
  14. prune — to trim
  15. suit — to fit
  16. lie — to recline
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bound — certain
  19. current — happening now
  20. mark — a trace
  21. rest — a break
  22. prune — to trim
  23. current — electric
  24. lie — an untruth

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