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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. face — part of the head
  4. file — a line of people
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — to trim
  7. suit — in cards
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. file — a document
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. pit — in a race
  12. face — to point toward
  13. key — for a lock
  14. pit — a hole
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. content — happy
  17. file — a tool
  18. face — to confront
  19. content — the amount
  20. suit — to fit
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. key — the most important part
  23. key — in music
  24. temple — a place of worship

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