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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. content — the amount
  3. ball — a dance
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. dip — to sink
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. sharp — clever
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. content — happy
  10. ball — a great time
  11. chest — of your body
  12. root — of a word
  13. root — of a plant
  14. charge — a price
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. root — the cause
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. chest — a box
  20. chest — of your body
  21. charge — electricity
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — the fruit
  24. charge — in control

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