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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rash — a series
  3. kick — in football
  4. fine — all right
  5. rash — hasty
  6. fall — the season
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. content — happy
  12. prune — to trim
  13. content — the amount
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. fine — high quality
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. fall — to drop
  21. prune — to trim
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. coach — a trainer

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