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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. prune — to trim
  3. spell — magic
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. can — a tin
  7. suit — to fit
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. spell — letters
  12. spell — a short time
  13. can — a tin
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. suit — in cards
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. prune — to trim
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. can — to be able to
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bear — the animal

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