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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. saw — the tool
  3. pit — a hole
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. club — for golf
  7. press — newspapers
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. club — for dancing
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — to recline
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. pit — in a race
  18. saw — the tool
  19. club — a group
  20. press — a publisher
  21. press — to push
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. bark — to shout
  24. lie — an untruth

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