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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. chest — a box
  3. prune — to trim
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. content — happy
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. capital — a city
  11. content — the amount
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. track — a path
  14. prune — to trim
  15. capital — money
  16. track — a song
  17. pass — a permit
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. chest — of your body
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. chest — of your body
  24. track — to keep track

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