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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. rash — hasty
  3. content — the amount
  4. firm — a company
  5. rash — a series
  6. degree — temperature
  7. bound — obliged
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. prune — to trim
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. bound — certain
  13. content — happy
  14. degree — from a university
  15. sharp — clever
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. firm — decided
  18. bound — tied together
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. firm — steady
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. degree — an amount
  24. prune — to trim

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