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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — to trim
  3. suit — to fit
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. key — for a lock
  6. pop — music
  7. spell — a short time
  8. present — there
  9. pop — to visit
  10. mate — to breed
  11. key — the most important part
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. spell — letters
  14. suit — clothes
  15. pop — soda
  16. fine — all right
  17. present — a gift
  18. spell — magic
  19. suit — in cards
  20. mate — a friend
  21. fine — high quality
  22. key — in music
  23. present — the time now
  24. mate — a partner

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