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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. drill — army training
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. drill — a practice
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. drill — the tool
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. season — in sport
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. season — of the year
  18. lie — to recline
  19. prune — to trim
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. mouse — the animal

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