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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. suit — clothes
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. prune — to trim
  5. suit — to fit
  6. content — happy
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. fork — in a road
  9. wake — a trail
  10. content — the amount
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. rock — music
  16. suit — in cards
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. scale — size or range
  20. mark — a trace
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. rock — a stone
  23. mark — a grade
  24. prune — to trim

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