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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. mug — a face
  3. rest — a break
  4. mug — a cup
  5. rest — what's left
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. fall — to drop
  12. chip — to eat
  13. mug — to rob
  14. chip — for betting
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — the season
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. prune — to trim
  19. toast — bread
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. rest — what's left
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. toast — the most admired

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