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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. suit — to fit
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. key — in music
  6. suit — clothes
  7. club — for dancing
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. cap — of ice
  13. club — a group
  14. key — the most important part
  15. cap — a hat
  16. prune — to trim
  17. key — for a lock
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. club — for golf
  22. snap — to click
  23. suit — in cards
  24. cap — a lid

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