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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 120 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. suit — in cards
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. suit — to fit
  7. fine — all right
  8. lean — thin
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lean — to bend
  11. prune — to trim
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. bear — the animal
  14. suit — clothes
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. bear — the animal
  17. mine — for digging
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. wax — to grow
  24. fine — high quality

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