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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. prune — to trim
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. present — the time now
  7. band — a ring
  8. can — a tin
  9. cue — for pool
  10. last — finally
  11. can — to be able to
  12. rock — a stone
  13. last — to go on
  14. cue — a signal
  15. rock — music
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. present — there
  18. cue — a hint
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. prune — to trim
  21. lie — to recline
  22. band — a music group
  23. last — final
  24. present — a gift

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