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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. lean — to bend
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. mark — a grade
  6. content — the amount
  7. prune — to trim
  8. root — the cause
  9. ball — a dance
  10. root — of a word
  11. club — for dancing
  12. ball — a great time
  13. root — of a plant
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. lean — thin
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. content — happy
  18. club — a group
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. club — for golf
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. mark — a trace

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