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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. key — for a lock
  5. bulb — for light
  6. mate — a friend
  7. mate — a partner
  8. bore — to tire
  9. content — the amount
  10. stock — shares
  11. bore — to drill
  12. prune — to trim
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. bulb — for light
  15. key — in music
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. mate — to breed
  18. content — happy
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. key — the most important part
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. chair — a leader
  23. stock — goods
  24. chair — a professorship

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