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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. fork — in a road
  3. mug — to rob
  4. squash — the sport
  5. shower — to wash
  6. firm — decided
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. mug — a cup
  9. pass — a permit
  10. mug — a face
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. saw — the tool
  15. squash — to crush
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. firm — a company
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. shower — rain
  21. content — happy
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. firm — steady
  24. squash — the vegetable

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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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