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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. foot — a measure
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. kid — to tease
  8. track — a path
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. kid — child
  12. saw — the tool
  13. prune — to trim
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. saw — the tool
  16. rash — a series
  17. track — to keep track
  18. prune — to trim
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. rash — hasty
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. track — a song

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