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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. row — to paddle
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. last — final
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. key — in music
  8. key — the most important part
  9. cue — a hint
  10. last — to go on
  11. dip — to sink
  12. cue — a signal
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. rash — hasty
  16. date — the fruit
  17. rash — a series
  18. last — finally
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. row — a line
  21. key — for a lock
  22. cue — for pool
  23. content — the amount
  24. content — happy

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