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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. bank — of a river
  3. prune — to trim
  4. firm — steady
  5. chest — of your body
  6. cue — a signal
  7. bank — for money
  8. lean — thin
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. cue — a hint
  11. firm — decided
  12. chest — a box
  13. prune — to trim
  14. cap — of ice
  15. date — the fruit
  16. bank — for money
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cap — a lid
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. lean — to bend
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. firm — a company
  24. chest — of your body

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