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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. object — an aim
  3. scale — in music
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. spell — a short time
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. object — a thing
  8. spell — letters
  9. object — to protest
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. kick — in football
  12. firm — a company
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. firm — steady
  15. spell — magic
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. foot — a measure
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. firm — decided
  22. fork — in a road
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. scale — size or range

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