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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. prune — to trim
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. hand — in cards
  6. suit — in cards
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. track — to keep track
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. track — a song
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. bear — the animal
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. bear — the animal
  19. prune — to trim
  20. suit — clothes
  21. chair — a leader
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. hand — help

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