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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. club — a group
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. content — the amount
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. wound — an injury
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. club — for dancing
  11. foot — a measure
  12. club — for golf
  13. content — happy
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. wound — an injury
  16. present — there
  17. bound — tied together
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bound — certain
  20. present — the time now
  21. bound — obliged
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. present — a gift

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