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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. foot — a measure
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. staff — a stick
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. saw — the tool
  11. staff — employees
  12. prune — to trim
  13. pass — a permit
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. mug — a face
  16. saw — the tool
  17. dip — to sink
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. prune — to trim
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. mug — a cup
  22. deal — to handle
  23. staff — employees
  24. pass — to spend time

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