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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. face — to point toward
  3. field — for sport
  4. field — a subject
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. face — to confront
  7. bound — obliged
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — to fit
  11. object — an aim
  12. craft — a skill
  13. field — farmland
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bound — tied together
  16. object — to protest
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. face — part of the head
  19. craft — boats
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. prune — to trim
  22. object — a thing
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bound — certain

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