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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. content — the amount
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. bank — for money
  8. shower — to wash
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. bank — for money
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. track — a path
  13. track — to keep track
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. shower — rain
  16. dip — to sink
  17. content — happy
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. kick — in football
  24. bank — of a river

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