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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. prune — to trim
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. root — the cause
  9. prune — to trim
  10. rush — hurry
  11. root — of a plant
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. root — of a word
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. rule — government
  19. perch — the fish
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rule — a law
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. lie — to recline
  24. rush — a thrill

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