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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. wax — to grow
  3. mark — a trace
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bear — the animal
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. mark — a grade
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. bear — the animal
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. fall — the season
  13. fall — to drop
  14. mug — a face
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. prune — to trim
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mug — a cup
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. lie — to recline
  24. fan — a supporter

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