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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 116 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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. tear — from crying
  6. saw — the tool
  7. board — to get on
  8. cue — a hint
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — to trim
  13. tear — from crying
  14. cue — for pool
  15. bound — obliged
  16. board — a committee
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bound — certain
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. tear — to rip
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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