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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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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: suit · saw · bay · rash · ball · prune · content · stem

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. ball — a dance
  3. prune — to trim
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. stem — to come from
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. rash — hasty
  10. suit — to fit
  11. ball — a great time
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. rash — a series
  18. content — the amount
  19. prune — to trim
  20. saw — the tool
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — clothes
  23. content — happy
  24. saw — the tool

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