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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 120 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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. mug — a face
  4. lean — thin
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. mate — to breed
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. mate — a friend
  10. mug — a cup
  11. staff — employees
  12. squash — the sport
  13. mate — a partner
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. prune — to trim
  17. staff — a stick
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. mug — to rob
  20. staff — employees
  21. shower — to wash
  22. lean — to bend
  23. shower — rain
  24. squash — to crush

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