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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. present — there
  3. scale — in music
  4. content — happy
  5. rule — a law
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. rule — government
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. key — the most important part
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. content — the amount
  13. present — the time now
  14. present — a gift
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — to be able to
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. scale — size or range
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. can — a tin
  23. key — in music
  24. key — for a lock

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