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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. mug — to rob
  3. deal — to handle
  4. pop — soda
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. key — for a lock
  7. mug — a face
  8. key — the most important part
  9. pop — music
  10. roll — a cake
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. prune — to trim
  13. roll — a list
  14. key — in music
  15. lean — to bend
  16. prune — to trim
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. mug — a cup
  19. pop — to visit
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. wake — a trail
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. lean — thin

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