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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 116 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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. mine — for digging
  3. lie — to recline
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. root — the cause
  11. content — happy
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. root — of a word
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wax — to grow
  17. bore — to drill
  18. root — of a plant
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. lie — an untruth

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