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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. squash — to crush
  4. suit — clothes
  5. mate — a partner
  6. firm — a company
  7. squash — the sport
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. suit — in cards
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. mate — a friend
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. prune — to trim
  15. mate — to breed
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bound — certain
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bound — tied together
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. firm — steady
  23. bound — obliged
  24. firm — decided

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