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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. kick — in football
  4. saw — the tool
  5. content — the amount
  6. dip — to sink
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. suit — in cards
  11. net — after costs
  12. scale — size or range
  13. bark — to shout
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. net — for catching
  17. suit — clothes
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. net — in sport
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. saw — the tool
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. content — happy
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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