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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. saw — the tool
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. foot — a measure
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. drill — a practice
  11. degree — from a university
  12. prune — to trim
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. degree — temperature
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. degree — an amount
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. drill — army training
  20. drill — the tool
  21. lie — to recline
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bear — the animal

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