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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.

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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mark — a grade
  3. can — a tin
  4. ground — crushed
  5. content — happy
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. ground — a position
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. can — a tin
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. can — to be able to
  15. mark — a trace
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. content — the amount
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. ground — the earth

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