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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  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. lean — to bend
  2. suit — clothes
  3. prune — to trim
  4. mark — a trace
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mark — a grade
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. lean — thin
  10. bass — the fish
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. bass — low music
  16. tube — the underground
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. tube — a container
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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