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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. scale — size or range
  3. saw — the tool
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. scale — in music
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. fork — in a road
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. saw — the tool
  14. mug — a face
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. content — the amount
  18. mug — a cup
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. prune — to trim
  21. content — happy
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. prune — to trim
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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