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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. content — happy
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. pound — a weight
  7. mug — a cup
  8. content — the amount
  9. bank — for money
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bank — of a river
  12. lie — to recline
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bank — for money
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mug — to rob
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. mug — a face
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. nail — for a hammer

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