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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. file — a tool
  3. charge — in control
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. spell — magic
  6. content — the amount
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. charge — electricity
  12. staff — a stick
  13. staff — employees
  14. spell — letters
  15. rock — music
  16. spell — a short time
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. staff — employees
  20. charge — a price
  21. file — a document
  22. file — a line of people
  23. kick — in football
  24. rock — a stone

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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