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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: content · suit · prune · present · land · object · lie · arm

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. suit — clothes
  3. present — there
  4. object — an aim
  5. object — to protest
  6. land — ground
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. content — the amount
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. land — to come down
  11. object — a thing
  12. suit — to fit
  13. lie — to recline
  14. present — a gift
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — to trim
  20. suit — in cards
  21. content — happy
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. land — a country
  24. prune — the fruit

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