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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  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. mark — a trace
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. content — happy
  5. mate — a friend
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mark — a grade
  10. pass — a permit
  11. content — the amount
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. mate — a partner
  16. key — the most important part
  17. bear — the animal
  18. key — in music
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. key — for a lock
  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