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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. spell — letters
  3. pitch — completely
  4. spell — magic
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. mine — for digging
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. prune — to trim
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. spell — a short time
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. prune — to trim
  15. tube — the underground
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. lie — to recline
  19. rush — hurry
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. mine — an explosive

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