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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. prune — to trim
  3. net — after costs
  4. net — for catching
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. net — in sport
  11. content — happy
  12. land — a country
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. land — to come down
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. content — the amount
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. prune — to trim
  23. pass — a permit
  24. land — ground

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