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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 120 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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. mark — a grade
  3. prune — to trim
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. firm — a company
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. mark — a trace
  11. content — the amount
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. stem — to come from
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. prune — to trim
  19. tube — a container
  20. fork — in a road
  21. firm — steady
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. firm — decided
  24. content — happy

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