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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bore — to drill
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. toast — bread
  7. fine — all right
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. content — the amount
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. dip — to sink
  12. fine — high quality
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. mine — for digging
  18. content — happy
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. plane — a tool
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. mine — an explosive

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