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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. mug — a cup
  3. can — to be able to
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. prune — to trim
  6. content — the amount
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. can — a tin
  11. content — happy
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. prune — to trim
  19. mug — to rob
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. mug — a face
  24. can — a tin

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