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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 120 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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. suit — to fit
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. capital — money
  11. suit — in cards
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. bear — the animal
  15. capital — a city
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. suit — clothes
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. fork — in a road
  24. bear — to put up with

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