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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  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. nail — on a finger
  2. file — a line of people
  3. content — the amount
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. pop — to visit
  7. file — a tool
  8. dip — to sink
  9. file — a document
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. pop — music
  12. can — a tin
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. pop — soda
  15. can — to be able to
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. can — a tin
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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