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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 116 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: prune · row · deal · fall · dip · bay · spell · can

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. fall — to drop
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. deal — to handle
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. fall — the season
  11. prune — to trim
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. fall — to drop
  14. spell — letters
  15. row — a line
  16. prune — to trim
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. spell — magic
  20. dip — to sink
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. can — a tin
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. spell — a short time

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