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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pop — soda
  4. wound — an injury
  5. pop — to visit
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. season — in sport
  9. pop — music
  10. current — electric
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. current — happening now
  13. current — of water
  14. bear — the animal
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. prune — to trim
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. lie — to recline
  19. charge — electricity
  20. charge — a price
  21. wound — an injury
  22. charge — in control
  23. season — of the year
  24. prune — to trim

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