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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. lie — to recline
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. vault — a safe
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. mine — for digging
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. prune — to trim
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. racket — for tennis

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