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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. content — the amount
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. court — of law
  6. content — happy
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. tube — a container
  9. suit — in cards
  10. mark — a grade
  11. fine — high quality
  12. court — of a king
  13. fine — all right
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — to fit
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. court — for sport
  21. tube — the underground
  22. sharp — clever
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. mark — a trace

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