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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. key — in music
  3. firm — steady
  4. content — the amount
  5. firm — decided
  6. craft — a skill
  7. pit — a hole
  8. key — for a lock
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. prune — to trim
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. prune — to trim
  13. key — the most important part
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. content — happy
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bark — to shout
  20. firm — a company
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. pit — in a race
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. craft — boats

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