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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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468
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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. key — the most important part
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. key — in music
  5. content — the amount
  6. key — for a lock
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. rest — a break
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. rest — what's left
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. prune — to trim
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. wake — a trail
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. rest — what's left
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. content — happy
  24. prune — the fruit

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