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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. suit — clothes
  4. pop — music
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. kid — child
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. game — wild animals
  10. kid — to tease
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. game — a match
  13. pop — to visit
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pop — soda
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. suit — in cards
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. suit — to fit
  23. lie — to recline
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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