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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. lie — to recline
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. prune — to trim
  5. rest — a break
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. deal — to handle
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. suit — to fit
  11. rest — what's left
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. stem — to come from
  14. suit — in cards
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. suit — clothes
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. toast — bread
  20. foot — a measure
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. prune — to trim
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rest — what's left

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