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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 116 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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — to drop
  5. ball — a great time
  6. mark — a trace
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. mark — a grade
  9. kid — to tease
  10. ball — a dance
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. fall — the season
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. kid — child
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. deal — to handle
  17. prune — to trim
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — a stick
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. staff — employees
  23. prune — to trim
  24. deal — a big deal

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