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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. craft — boats
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. chair — a leader
  8. suit — to fit
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. suit — clothes
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. bound — tied together
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bound — certain
  20. bound — obliged
  21. suit — in cards
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. prune — to trim
  24. craft — a skill

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