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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 116 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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. content — happy
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. club — a group
  6. content — the amount
  7. fine — all right
  8. squash — to crush
  9. club — for dancing
  10. rest — a break
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. prune — to trim
  13. fine — high quality
  14. current — happening now
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. club — for golf
  17. rest — what's left
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. squash — the sport
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. prune — to trim
  23. current — electric
  24. rest — what's left

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