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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. land — ground
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mark — a grade
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. content — happy
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mate — to breed
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. land — a country
  17. mate — a partner
  18. swing — music
  19. swing — to play on
  20. mark — a trace
  21. swing — in golf
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. mate — a friend
  24. content — the amount

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