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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. lie — to recline
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. pit — in a race
  7. content — the amount
  8. firm — decided
  9. content — happy
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. swing — to play on
  12. firm — steady
  13. swing — in golf
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. swing — music
  18. pit — a hole
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. firm — a company
  23. prune — to trim
  24. mouse — the animal

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