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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. ball — a dance
  4. kick — in football
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. content — the amount
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bass — the fish
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. content — happy
  16. chip — to eat
  17. bass — low music
  18. bear — the animal
  19. ball — a great time
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. chip — for betting
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. kick — a thrill

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