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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bore — to tire
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. content — happy
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. ball — a great time
  8. lean — thin
  9. drill — a practice
  10. ball — a dance
  11. fine — all right
  12. content — the amount
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bore — to drill
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. wind — moving air
  19. lean — to bend
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. drill — the tool
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. drill — army training
  24. lie — to recline

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