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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. suit — clothes
  3. prune — to trim
  4. root — of a plant
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — to fit
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. toast — bread
  11. pop — soda
  12. tear — from crying
  13. pop — music
  14. ball — a dance
  15. prune — to trim
  16. root — of a word
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. tear — to rip
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. ball — a great time
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. root — the cause
  24. tear — from crying

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