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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — to trim
  3. lean — thin
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. snap — to click
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. content — the amount
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lean — to bend
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. content — happy
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. rock — a stone
  23. lie — to recline
  24. rock — music

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