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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. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. ground — a position
  3. lie — to recline
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. key — for a lock
  6. rest — what's left
  7. ground — crushed
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. key — the most important part
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. key — in music
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — clothes
  18. ground — the earth
  19. suit — to fit
  20. rest — a break
  21. prune — to trim
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. rest — what's left

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