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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 116 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. suit — in cards
  3. ground — crushed
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. ground — a position
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. perch — the fish
  8. vault — a safe
  9. face — part of the head
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. fall — to drop
  14. ground — the earth
  15. face — to confront
  16. fall — the season
  17. face — to point toward
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. prune — to trim
  20. ball — a dance
  21. fall — to drop
  22. suit — to fit
  23. ball — a great time
  24. suit — clothes

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