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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. prune — to trim
  4. content — happy
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. rush — hurry
  7. lean — thin
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. rest — what's left
  10. lean — to bend
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. content — the amount
  15. ball — a great time
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. ball — a dance
  20. rest — a break
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. prune — to trim
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. leaves — to go away

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