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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: content · sharp · track · game · ball · prune · fine · stand

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. content — the amount
  6. prune — to trim
  7. track — to keep track
  8. track — a path
  9. content — happy
  10. sharp — clever
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. ball — a great time
  17. stand — to bear
  18. ball — a dance
  19. fine — high quality
  20. game — a match
  21. game — wild animals
  22. track — a song
  23. fine — all right
  24. prune — to trim

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