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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. staff — a stick
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. content — happy
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. prune — to trim
  10. pit — a hole
  11. prune — to trim
  12. fall — to drop
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. pit — in a race
  15. fall — the season
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. staff — employees
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bulb — for light
  21. content — the amount
  22. staff — employees
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bulb — for light

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