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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. content — the amount
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ground — the earth
  10. toast — bread
  11. bound — obliged
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. ground — a position
  14. ball — a dance
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bound — certain
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. ground — crushed
  23. bound — tied together
  24. content — happy

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