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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. content — happy
  3. suit — clothes
  4. face — to point toward
  5. toast — bread
  6. key — the most important part
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. key — in music
  9. pound — a weight
  10. mine — for digging
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. face — to confront
  18. suit — to fit
  19. key — for a lock
  20. face — part of the head
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. content — the amount
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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