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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. content — the amount
  5. mark — a grade
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. prune — to trim
  10. swing — to play on
  11. content — happy
  12. swing — in golf
  13. mine — for digging
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. swing — music
  21. kick — in football
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. safe — out of danger

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