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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 124 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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. prune — to trim
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. ball — a dance
  9. content — the amount
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. prune — to trim
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. tube — a container
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. content — happy
  17. tube — the underground
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. ball — a great time
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. stand — to bear
  24. ball — a round shape

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