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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. march — the month
  4. staff — a stick
  5. suit — to fit
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. march — music
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. content — the amount
  10. dip — to sink
  11. march — the month
  12. staff — employees
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. suit — clothes
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. content — happy
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. staff — employees
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. suit — in cards

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