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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. suit — to fit
  5. content — happy
  6. bore — to tire
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. rest — a break
  9. row — a line
  10. foot — a measure
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — what's left
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. row — to paddle
  16. suit — clothes
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. tube — a container
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bore — to drill
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — the underground

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