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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. bound — obliged
  4. toast — bread
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. prune — to trim
  7. pitch — completely
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. firm — steady
  10. firm — decided
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bound — tied together
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. content — the amount
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. bound — certain
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. content — happy
  22. pound — a weight
  23. firm — a company
  24. content — videos and posts

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