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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 120 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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. prune — to trim
  3. mug — a face
  4. can — a tin
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. staff — a stick
  7. prune — to trim
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. fork — in a road
  11. dip — to sink
  12. wind — moving air
  13. can — to be able to
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. mug — a cup
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — employees
  18. wind — moving air
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. can — a tin
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. mug — to rob

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