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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. chest — a box
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. can — a tin
  7. chest — of your body
  8. pop — to visit
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. can — a tin
  12. content — the amount
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. chest — of your body
  15. mug — to rob
  16. content — happy
  17. pop — music
  18. shower — rain
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. can — to be able to
  22. mug — a face
  23. pop — soda
  24. shower — to wash

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