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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. tear — from crying
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. prune — to trim
  5. tear — to rip
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. prune — to trim
  8. rule — government
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. suit — clothes
  15. perch — the fish
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. rush — hurry
  18. suit — in cards
  19. tear — from crying
  20. fork — in a road
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. suit — to fit
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. safe — out of danger

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