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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. foot — a measure
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. mark — a grade
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. suit — to fit
  11. rule — a law
  12. suit — in cards
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. mark — a trace
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. content — happy
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. suit — clothes
  20. saw — the tool
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. rule — government

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