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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. charge — a price
  5. kid — to tease
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. foot — a measure
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. kid — child
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. charge — in control
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. charge — electricity
  23. pound — a weight
  24. pitch — completely

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