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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. prune — to trim
  4. lie — to recline
  5. face — to point toward
  6. content — the amount
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. key — in music
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. tube — the underground
  12. pop — music
  13. tube — a container
  14. content — happy
  15. face — part of the head
  16. key — for a lock
  17. pop — soda
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. face — to confront
  21. pop — to visit
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. prune — to trim
  24. key — the most important part

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