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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. content — happy
  3. suit — clothes
  4. fall — to drop
  5. content — the amount
  6. tube — the underground
  7. suit — to fit
  8. chip — to eat
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. net — after costs
  12. face — part of the head
  13. face — to confront
  14. suit — in cards
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. chip — for betting
  17. fall — the season
  18. face — to point toward
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. tube — a container
  21. net — in sport
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fine — all right

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