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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. date — the fruit
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. staff — a stick
  6. mate — a friend
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. mate — to breed
  9. prune — to trim
  10. mate — a partner
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. lie — to recline
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. staff — employees
  15. roll — a list
  16. prune — to trim
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. roll — a cake
  20. capital — money
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. staff — employees
  23. capital — a city
  24. roll — on a roll

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