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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. prune — to trim
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. swing — in golf
  8. content — the amount
  9. swing — music
  10. mark — a trace
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. swing — to play on
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. can — a tin
  19. content — happy
  20. chip — to eat
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. chip — for betting
  23. mark — a grade
  24. chip — in a computer

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