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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. degree — temperature
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. bound — certain
  6. degree — from a university
  7. last — to go on
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. last — final
  12. degree — an amount
  13. kick — in football
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bound — obliged
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. prune — to trim
  18. last — finally
  19. pass — a permit
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. toast — bread
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. kick — a thrill

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