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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. ball — a dance
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. bulb — for light
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mug — a cup
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. bulb — for light
  12. mug — to rob
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. content — happy
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. content — the amount
  18. sharp — clever
  19. cell — in biology
  20. cell — a phone
  21. ball — a great time
  22. mug — a face
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. mouse — the animal

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