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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. cue — a signal
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. bound — tied together
  5. content — the amount
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. cue — for pool
  8. prune — to trim
  9. content — happy
  10. club — for golf
  11. bound — certain
  12. sharp — clever
  13. club — for dancing
  14. prune — to trim
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. bear — the animal
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. bound — obliged
  20. cue — a hint
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bear — the animal
  23. club — a group
  24. sharp — with an edge

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