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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. ball — a great time
  4. rock — music
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. swing — to play on
  8. swing — music
  9. swing — in golf
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — the season
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. mate — a friend
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — in cards
  17. mate — a partner
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. content — happy
  20. suit — to fit
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. mate — to breed
  24. rock — a stone

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