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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. race — a contest
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pound — a weight
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. mark — a grade
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. suit — to fit
  9. craft — boats
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — clothes
  12. craft — a skill
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. race — the arms race
  17. lean — thin
  18. lean — to bend
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. race — humankind
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — high quality
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — the fruit

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