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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 works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. content — happy
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bear — the animal
  5. firm — decided
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. foot — a measure
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bass — low music
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. content — the amount
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. firm — steady
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bass — the fish
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mate — a friend
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. mate — a partner
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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