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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. tear — from crying
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. key — the most important part
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. key — for a lock
  8. key — in music
  9. ground — crushed
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. ground — a position
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. ground — the earth
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a trace
  23. tear — to rip
  24. tear — from crying

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