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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. mug — to rob
  5. content — happy
  6. mug — a cup
  7. sharp — clever
  8. mug — a face
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. plane — a tool
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. prune — to trim
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. content — the amount
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — for a hammer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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