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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 116 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. content — the amount
  3. present — there
  4. fine — all right
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. present — the time now
  10. rock — a stone
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. rock — music
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. ground — a position
  16. ground — crushed
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. fine — high quality
  19. content — happy
  20. present — a gift
  21. prune — to trim
  22. wake — a trail
  23. prune — to trim
  24. ground — the earth

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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