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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rush — hurry
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. content — happy
  6. pop — music
  7. pop — to visit
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. pop — soda
  12. rock — music
  13. key — the most important part
  14. sharp — clever
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. key — for a lock
  17. content — the amount
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bound — certain
  20. key — in music
  21. bound — tied together
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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