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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. ground — the earth
  3. suit — to fit
  4. ground — crushed
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. chest — a box
  7. perch — the fish
  8. chest — of your body
  9. squash — the sport
  10. suit — clothes
  11. ground — a position
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. content — the amount
  14. suit — in cards
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. rest — what's left
  17. chest — of your body
  18. rest — a break
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bound — certain
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bound — obliged
  23. content — happy
  24. squash — to crush

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