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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. last — finally
  3. prune — to trim
  4. last — final
  5. mine — for digging
  6. club — for dancing
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. lean — thin
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. chest — of your body
  16. last — to go on
  17. chest — of your body
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. prune — to trim
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. club — for golf
  23. foot — a measure
  24. club — a group

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