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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. lean — thin
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. kid — child
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. prune — to trim
  12. pop — to visit
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — to recline
  15. band — a music group
  16. band — a ring
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. prune — to trim
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. kid — to tease
  21. lean — to bend
  22. pop — soda
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. band — a rubber band

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