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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. tube — a container
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. object — an aim
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. shower — to wash
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. tube — the underground
  17. shower — rain
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. prune — to trim
  20. object — a thing
  21. lie — to recline
  22. row — to paddle
  23. row — a line
  24. object — to protest

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