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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. face — to confront
  3. race — a contest
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. race — the arms race
  8. fine — high quality
  9. race — humankind
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. prune — to trim
  20. face — part of the head
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. face — to point toward
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. fine — all right

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