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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. face — to confront
  4. prune — to trim
  5. mark — a grade
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pit — a hole
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. suit — to fit
  10. prune — to trim
  11. face — to point toward
  12. rock — a stone
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. suit — clothes
  15. face — part of the head
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. rock — music
  18. suit — in cards
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. pit — in a race
  22. wake — a trail
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. mark — a trace

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