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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — letters
  4. spell — magic
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. chest — of your body
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. can — a tin
  13. tube — the underground
  14. can — a tin
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. chest — a box
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. chest — of your body
  19. can — to be able to
  20. prune — to trim
  21. suit — in cards
  22. tube — a container
  23. suit — to fit
  24. prune — to trim

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