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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. suit — to fit
  4. lie — to recline
  5. rest — what's left
  6. suit — clothes
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fork — in a road
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. prune — to trim
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. rush — hurry
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. spring — a coil
  16. spring — of water
  17. rest — what's left
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. spring — the season
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. suit — in cards
  24. rest — a break

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