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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 120 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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. suit — clothes
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — to fit
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. wound — an injury
  11. prune — to trim
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pit — a hole
  14. object — a thing
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. content — happy
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. prune — to trim
  19. object — an aim
  20. wound — an injury
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. content — the amount
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — a monarch

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