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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bulb — for light
  4. prune — to trim
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. content — the amount
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. rule — a law
  9. bulb — for light
  10. net — for catching
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. net — after costs
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. net — in sport
  16. rule — government
  17. mate — a partner
  18. prune — to trim
  19. wake — a trail
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. content — happy
  22. mate — to breed
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. mate — a friend

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