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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. toast — bread
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. content — happy
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. suit — clothes
  10. vault — a safe
  11. suit — to fit
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. craft — boats
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. suit — in cards
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. content — the amount
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. craft — a skill
  23. dip — to sink
  24. content — videos and posts

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