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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bound — tied together
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. band — a music group
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. firm — steady
  9. bound — obliged
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. band — a ring
  12. prune — to trim
  13. perch — the fish
  14. bound — certain
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — decided
  18. dip — to sink
  19. wax — to grow
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. prune — to trim
  24. wax — for sculpting

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