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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. mate — to breed
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. mug — to rob
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. last — finally
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. present — a gift
  10. content — the amount
  11. present — the time now
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mate — a friend
  15. present — there
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. mug — a face
  18. content — happy
  19. last — final
  20. mate — a partner
  21. last — to go on
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bass — the fish

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