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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. track — a path
  5. object — an aim
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. object — to protest
  8. object — a thing
  9. ground — the earth
  10. sharp — clever
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. ground — a position
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. prune — to trim
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. ground — crushed
  18. pound — a weight
  19. track — to keep track
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. track — a song

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