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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. content — happy
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. vault — a safe
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. rest — a break
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. rest — what's left
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. rest — what's left
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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