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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 120 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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. cold — an illness
  3. cold — not warm
  4. cue — a signal
  5. prune — to trim
  6. craft — boats
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pop — soda
  17. craft — a skill
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. lie — to recline
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — for pool
  24. pop — music

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