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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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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. content — the amount
  3. dip — to sink
  4. net — in sport
  5. prune — to trim
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. prune — to trim
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rest — what's left
  12. kick — in football
  13. rest — a break
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. mark — a trace
  18. content — happy
  19. net — after costs
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. net — for catching
  22. mark — a grade
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. mark — to pay attention

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