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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 120 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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. prune — to trim
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. spell — a short time
  10. spell — letters
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. prune — to trim
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. pound — a weight
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. spell — magic
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. chair — a leader
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. leaves — of a tree

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