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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. craft — boats
  4. prune — to trim
  5. pit — in a race
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. suit — in cards
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. craft — a skill
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — to fit
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. content — happy
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. pit — a hole
  23. content — the amount
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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