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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. mug — a cup
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bound — tied together
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. mine — for digging
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. mug — to rob
  15. chip — to eat
  16. suit — in cards
  17. mug — a face
  18. bound — certain
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. chip — for betting
  21. suit — clothes
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. bound — obliged
  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