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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. prune — to trim
  3. fork — in a road
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. tube — a container
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — there
  8. land — to come down
  9. wake — a trail
  10. land — a country
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. prune — to trim
  13. present — the time now
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. land — ground
  18. tube — the underground
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fork — to eat with

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