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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 116 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. content — happy
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. content — the amount
  9. prune — to trim
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. suit — to fit
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. vault — a safe
  15. suit — in cards
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — the season
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. prune — to trim
  20. suit — clothes
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. fall — to drop

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