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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. chest — of your body
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. content — the amount
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. squash — to crush
  8. mate — a partner
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bore — to tire
  13. content — happy
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. perch — the fish
  16. mate — a friend
  17. chest — a box
  18. squash — the sport
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. chest — of your body
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mate — to breed
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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