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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. content — the amount
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. toast — bread
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. content — happy
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. charge — in control
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. ball — a great time
  18. pound — a weight
  19. charge — electricity
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. vault — a safe
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. charge — a price

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