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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wax — to grow
  5. chest — a box
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bore — to tire
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. stand — to bear
  10. root — of a word
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. prune — to trim
  13. chest — of your body
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. root — of a plant
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. lie — to recline
  19. root — the cause
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. bore — to drill
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. chest — of your body

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