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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. bear — the animal
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. band — a ring
  5. snap — to click
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bear — the animal
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. mug — to rob
  10. tube — the underground
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. mug — a cup
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — clothes
  17. tube — a container
  18. content — happy
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. mug — a face
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. suit — in cards
  24. tube — in a tire

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