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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. mark — a grade
  3. prune — to trim
  4. cue — a signal
  5. cue — a hint
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. mark — a trace
  8. swing — to play on
  9. swing — music
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. tear — from crying
  12. tear — to rip
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cap — a lid
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. cap — a hat
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. tear — from crying
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. cue — for pool
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. swing — in golf
  24. safe — a strongbox

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