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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. prune — to trim
  3. saw — the tool
  4. suit — to fit
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. suit — clothes
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fork — in a road
  9. spell — a short time
  10. suit — in cards
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. prune — to trim
  14. spell — letters
  15. lie — to recline
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. spell — magic
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. saw — the tool
  24. fork — to eat with

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