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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — high quality
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. bank — for money
  14. content — the amount
  15. bank — of a river
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. bank — for money
  18. rest — a break

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