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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. mark — a grade
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. cold — an illness
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. can — a tin
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. lie — to recline
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. pound — a weight
  14. can — to be able to
  15. cold — not warm
  16. mark — a trace
  17. prune — to trim
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. can — a tin
  22. board — a committee
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. board — to get on

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