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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 got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. deal — to handle
  3. tube — a container
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. tube — the underground
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. fine — all right
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. object — a thing
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. object — an aim
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. content — happy
  19. sharp — clever
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. object — to protest
  22. fine — high quality
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. content — the amount

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