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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. cue — for pool
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. cue — a signal
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. date — the fruit
  9. prune — to trim
  10. rest — what's left
  11. stand — to bear
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. content — the amount
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. foot — a measure
  17. lean — thin
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. rest — what's left
  20. lean — to bend
  21. rest — a break
  22. content — happy
  23. cue — a hint
  24. lean — to rest against

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