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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. date — the fruit
  3. current — of water
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. bound — obliged
  6. content — the amount
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. face — to point toward
  9. content — happy
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. face — part of the head
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. cue — for pool
  16. bound — tied together
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. current — happening now
  20. current — electric
  21. cue — a signal
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. bound — certain
  24. face — to confront

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