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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. face — to confront
  3. present — a gift
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. face — part of the head
  7. present — there
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. face — to point toward
  13. content — happy
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. prune — to trim
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. ball — a dance
  20. present — the time now
  21. content — the amount
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ball — a great time
  24. plane — a tool

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