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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. suit — in cards
  4. prune — to trim
  5. fine — all right
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — clever
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. fall — the season
  11. pound — a weight
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. fall — to drop
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. prune — to trim
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. suit — to fit
  21. fine — high quality
  22. suit — clothes
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. sharp — exactly

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