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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. rush — hurry
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. swing — to play on
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — a grade
  11. prune — to trim
  12. lie — to recline
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. swing — music
  20. swing — in golf
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rush — to hurry

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