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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. content — happy
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. club — for dancing
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. roll — a cake
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. roll — a list
  11. club — a group
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. content — the amount
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. club — for golf
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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