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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. ball — a dance
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. scale — size or range
  15. content — the amount
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. scale — in music
  22. ball — a great time
  23. lie — to recline
  24. mouse — the animal

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