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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 cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. rock — a stone
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. root — the cause
  6. clip — for paper
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. content — the amount
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. clip — to cut
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bulb — for light
  15. prune — to trim
  16. rock — music
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. bulb — for light
  19. content — happy
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. snap — to click
  22. clip — a video
  23. root — of a word
  24. root — of a plant

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