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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. rest — a break
  3. content — happy
  4. content — the amount
  5. rest — what's left
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. object — an aim
  8. object — to protest
  9. prune — to trim
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. charge — electricity
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bear — the animal
  15. charge — a price
  16. object — a thing
  17. bear — the animal
  18. charge — in control
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. racket — for tennis

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