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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. prune — to trim
  4. can — to be able to
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pitch — completely
  7. prune — to trim
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. wake — a trail
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. content — happy
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. content — the amount
  17. can — a tin
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. can — a tin
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. deal — to handle
  24. temple — a place of worship

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