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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. rock — music
  4. saw — the tool
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. craft — boats
  7. present — the time now
  8. prune — to trim
  9. craft — a skill
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. rock — a stone
  12. ball — a great time
  13. present — there
  14. saw — the tool
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. present — a gift
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. prune — to trim
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. content — happy
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. ball — a dance
  24. prune — the fruit

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