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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 116 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. suit — to fit
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. file — a line of people
  5. wake — a trail
  6. suit — clothes
  7. file — a tool
  8. content — the amount
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. shower — rain
  12. pop — music
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. pop — to visit
  15. suit — in cards
  16. content — happy
  17. shower — to wash
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. pop — soda
  21. bore — to drill
  22. file — a document
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bore — to tire

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