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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. dip — to sink
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. firm — steady
  6. tear — from crying
  7. prune — to trim
  8. prune — to trim
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. stock — goods
  11. stock — shares
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. firm — a company
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. firm — decided
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. tear — to rip
  23. tear — from crying
  24. mine — for digging

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