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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. suit — in cards
  3. can — to be able to
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. suit — to fit
  8. cap — a lid
  9. craft — a skill
  10. cap — of ice
  11. content — the amount
  12. suit — clothes
  13. content — happy
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — boats
  16. cap — a hat
  17. prune — to trim
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rock — a stone
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — a tin
  22. rock — music
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. rush — hurry

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