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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 120 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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. charge — a price
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. clip — a video
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. mug — a cup
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. mine — for digging
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. club — a group
  11. content — happy
  12. foot — a measure
  13. club — for golf
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. content — the amount
  16. charge — in control
  17. mug — to rob
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. clip — for paper
  20. club — for dancing
  21. mug — a face
  22. clip — to cut
  23. charge — electricity
  24. mine — belonging to me

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