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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. foot — a measure
  5. tube — the underground
  6. bank — for money
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. prune — to trim
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. hand — help
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — a container
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. bank — for money
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bank — of a river
  22. pass — a permit
  23. hand — in cards
  24. hand — part of the 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