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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 want to ________________ the boat.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. bear — the animal
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. rock — music
  7. squash — to crush
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. deal — to handle
  12. bear — the animal
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. content — the amount
  15. lie — to recline
  16. squash — the sport
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. content — happy
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. sharp — clever
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. rock — a stone
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. squash — the vegetable

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