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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. prune — to trim
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. mate — to breed
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. lie — to recline
  11. court — of law
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — of a river
  14. court — of a king
  15. fall — to drop
  16. mate — a partner
  17. prune — to trim
  18. court — for sport
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. fall — the season
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bank — for money
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. mate — a friend

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