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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. suit — in cards
  8. cell — a phone
  9. lean — to bend
  10. track — to keep track
  11. prune — to trim
  12. track — a song
  13. mark — a trace
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — to fit
  17. track — a path
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. cell — in biology
  20. mark — a grade
  21. lean — thin
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. mouse — the animal

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