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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 ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wind — moving air
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. prune — to trim
  8. root — of a plant
  9. saw — the tool
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. prune — to trim
  19. lean — thin
  20. root — the cause
  21. wind — moving air
  22. root — of a word
  23. saw — the tool
  24. safe — out of danger

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