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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. toast — bread
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rash — a series
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. mate — a friend
  10. face — part of the head
  11. rock — music
  12. face — to point toward
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. rock — a stone
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mate — a partner
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. prune — to trim
  21. mate — to breed
  22. face — to confront
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. dip — to sink

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