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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  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. content — the amount
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. rest — what's left
  4. march — the month
  5. court — of law
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. march — the month
  8. object — a thing
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. rest — what's left
  12. vault — a safe
  13. rest — a break
  14. object — to protest
  15. march — music
  16. deal — to handle
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. court — for sport
  21. object — an aim
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. court — of a king
  24. content — happy

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