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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. rest — what's left
  3. prune — to trim
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a committee
  9. stand — to bear
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. rest — what's left
  16. snap — to click
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. sharp — clever
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. rest — a break
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. stand — on your feet

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