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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. staff — a stick
  3. last — to go on
  4. last — final
  5. rush — hurry
  6. key — in music
  7. pop — soda
  8. key — the most important part
  9. staff — employees
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. prune — to trim
  17. pop — to visit
  18. staff — employees
  19. key — for a lock
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. last — finally
  24. pop — music

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