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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. content — the amount
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. content — happy
  15. swing — music
  16. sharp — clever
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. dip — to sink
  22. prune — to trim
  23. swing — to play on
  24. safe — out of danger

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