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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 120 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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. snap — to click
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. race — humankind
  5. race — a contest
  6. suit — clothes
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. bore — to drill
  10. saw — the tool
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. race — the arms race
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. saw — the tool
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. content — happy
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — to fit
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bore — to tire

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