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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. scale — size or range
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. suit — to fit
  6. rule — government
  7. content — the amount
  8. bark — to shout
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. tube — a container
  11. mark — a trace
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. rule — a law
  14. suit — in cards
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. mark — a grade
  21. scale — in music
  22. content — happy
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. suit — clothes

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