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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  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. content — happy
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. prune — to trim
  4. charge — in control
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bank — for money
  7. prune — to trim
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pop — soda
  10. pop — music
  11. bank — of a river
  12. charge — a price
  13. bank — for money
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. board — to get on
  16. pop — to visit
  17. charge — electricity
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. content — the amount
  21. board — a committee
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  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