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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 120 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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. mug — a face
  3. bass — the fish
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. charge — a price
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. rash — a series
  10. charge — electricity
  11. rash — hasty
  12. chair — a leader
  13. rock — music
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. rock — a stone
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. content — happy
  21. charge — in control
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mug — to rob
  24. bass — low music

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