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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. object — a thing
  3. bound — certain
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. content — the amount
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. mug — to rob
  8. ground — the earth
  9. content — happy
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. object — to protest
  12. mug — a face
  13. ground — crushed
  14. mug — a cup
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bound — tied together
  17. club — a group
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. ground — a position
  21. prune — to trim
  22. object — an aim
  23. club — for dancing
  24. prune — to trim

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