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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. mug — a face
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. prune — to trim
  8. rest — a break
  9. cell — in biology
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — what's left
  16. prune — to trim
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. mug — a cup
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. suit — clothes
  21. cell — a phone
  22. suit — to fit
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. mug — to rob

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