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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 120 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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. prune — to trim
  4. current — happening now
  5. key — for a lock
  6. present — the time now
  7. lean — to bend
  8. key — the most important part
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — thin
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. present — a gift
  14. key — in music
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. current — electric
  18. current — of water
  19. content — the amount
  20. content — happy
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. present — there
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. mouse — the animal

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