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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bank — of a river
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bank — for money
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. perch — the fish
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. content — happy
  9. pop — soda
  10. pop — to visit
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. prune — to trim
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. object — a thing
  15. chip — for betting
  16. object — an aim
  17. chip — to eat
  18. content — the amount
  19. bank — for money
  20. dip — to sink
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. object — to protest
  24. pop — music

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