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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 116 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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bound — tied together
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. deal — to handle
  11. land — to come down
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. season — of the year
  14. bound — obliged
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. prune — to trim
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. land — a country
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. land — ground
  22. season — in sport
  23. bound — certain
  24. deal — a big deal

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