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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mark — a trace
  4. dip — to sink
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. capital — a city
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. stand — to bear
  9. track — a path
  10. capital — money
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. track — to keep track
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. mark — a grade
  15. track — a song
  16. suit — to fit
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. suit — in cards
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. suit — clothes
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. prune — to trim

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