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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bear — the animal
  3. can — a tin
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. can — to be able to
  7. content — the amount
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. ground — the earth
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. prune — to trim
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. content — happy
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. can — a tin
  19. ground — crushed
  20. wake — a trail
  21. ground — a position
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bear — the animal

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