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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. prune — to trim
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. content — happy
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. charge — a price
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. prune — to trim
  14. season — in sport
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. charge — electricity
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. pitch — completely
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bass — low music
  21. season — of the year
  22. charge — in control
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. content — the amount

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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