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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — clothes
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. mine — for digging
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. prune — to trim
  7. content — the amount
  8. charge — a price
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. charge — electricity
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. suit — in cards
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. content — happy
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. prune — to trim
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. charge — in control
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. rush — hurry
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. arm — part of the body

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