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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 116 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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. rock — a stone
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a song
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bound — certain
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. bat — the animal
  13. content — the amount
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. track — a path
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. rock — music
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — to trim
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a dance
  24. content — happy

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