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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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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. charge — a price
  3. bass — the fish
  4. content — happy
  5. ball — a great time
  6. bass — low music
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. firm — a company
  9. tear — from crying
  10. charge — electricity
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tear — from crying
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. content — the amount
  15. ball — a dance
  16. tube — a container
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. charge — in control
  19. craft — boats
  20. firm — decided
  21. tear — to rip
  22. craft — a skill
  23. firm — steady
  24. tube — in a tire

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