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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. chest — of your body
  3. rush — hurry
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. chest — of your body
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. band — a music group
  11. craft — a skill
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. prune — to trim
  14. stand — to bear
  15. craft — boats
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. band — a ring
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. lie — to recline
  21. chest — a box
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. prune — to trim

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