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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. mine — for digging
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. mug — a face
  5. content — the amount
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. mug — a cup
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. content — happy
  14. mug — to rob
  15. perch — the fish
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. foot — a measure

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