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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. fall — to drop
  4. prune — to trim
  5. toast — bread
  6. craft — boats
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. root — of a word
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. band — a music group
  12. pound — a weight
  13. prune — to trim
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — the season
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — to fit
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. root — the cause
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. band — a ring
  23. root — of a plant
  24. toast — the most admired

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