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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. drill — the tool
  3. mug — to rob
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. bound — certain
  6. roll — a cake
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. content — happy
  9. bound — tied together
  10. tube — the underground
  11. bound — obliged
  12. drill — a practice
  13. tube — a container
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. roll — a list
  16. drill — army training
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. content — the amount
  19. mug — a cup
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. dip — to sink
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. mug — a face
  24. dip — to dunk

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