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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. rest — a break
  3. content — happy
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rest — what's left
  7. foot — a measure
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. rush — hurry
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. cap — a lid
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. cap — a hat
  17. roll — a list
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. roll — a cake
  20. cap — of ice
  21. deal — to handle
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. content — the amount

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