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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. prune — to trim
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — of ice
  5. drill — the tool
  6. cap — a hat
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. drill — a practice
  9. rest — a break
  10. lie — to recline
  11. drill — army training
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — in cards
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. rest — what's left
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. object — a thing
  19. hand — in cards
  20. rest — what's left
  21. prune — to trim
  22. object — to protest
  23. hand — help
  24. object — an aim

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