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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 116 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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. present — there
  3. suit — clothes
  4. present — the time now
  5. prune — to trim
  6. row — a line
  7. rock — a stone
  8. present — a gift
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. land — to come down
  12. key — the most important part
  13. row — to paddle
  14. key — for a lock
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — to recline
  17. suit — to fit
  18. rock — music
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. land — a country
  21. land — ground
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. key — in music
  24. suit — in cards

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