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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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Word bank
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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. content — the amount
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. object — an aim
  6. object — a thing
  7. content — happy
  8. wake — a trail
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. toast — bread
  11. charge — in control
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. bound — tied together
  14. sharp — clever
  15. bound — certain
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. object — to protest
  19. charge — a price
  20. bound — obliged
  21. charge — electricity
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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