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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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  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. bat — for baseball
  2. lean — thin
  3. band — a ring
  4. bat — the animal
  5. bore — to drill
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. band — a music group
  9. content — the amount
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — to fit
  12. mug — a cup
  13. bore — to tire
  14. staff — employees
  15. suit — clothes
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. lean — to bend
  18. mug — a face
  19. staff — employees
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. staff — a stick
  23. bat — in an idiom
  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