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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rock — music
  5. face — part of the head
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. face — to confront
  8. face — to point toward
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. content — the amount
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. prune — to trim
  14. saw — the tool
  15. rash — a series
  16. kick — in football
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. prune — to trim
  20. content — happy
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. rash — hasty

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