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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — to trim
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. race — a contest
  8. root — the cause
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. kick — in football
  12. lie — to recline
  13. root — of a word
  14. race — the arms race
  15. root — of a plant
  16. race — humankind
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. scale — in music
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. mark — a trace
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. scale — size or range
  24. scale — for weighing

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