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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. content — happy
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. content — the amount
  5. cap — of ice
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rock — music
  9. object — to protest
  10. pit — in a race
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. bass — low music
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. rock — a stone
  19. bass — the fish
  20. object — a thing
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cap — a hat
  24. straw — dry grass

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