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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. stand — to bear
  3. spell — letters
  4. spell — magic
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. face — to confront
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. prune — to trim
  9. face — part of the head
  10. spell — a short time
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. perch — the fish
  14. chair — a leader
  15. bound — tied together
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. prune — to trim
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. bound — certain
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bound — obliged
  24. face — to point toward

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