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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. drill — a practice
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. present — a gift
  10. present — there
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. drill — the tool
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. spell — letters
  17. spell — a short time
  18. drill — army training
  19. fine — high quality
  20. present — the time now
  21. spell — magic
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. lie — to recline
  24. fine — all right

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