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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pound — a weight
  3. object — to protest
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. content — the amount
  6. toast — bread
  7. key — in music
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. land — ground
  10. object — an aim
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. drill — the tool
  14. lie — to recline
  15. key — for a lock
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. drill — army training
  18. land — a country
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. key — the most important part
  21. content — happy
  22. object — a thing
  23. drill — a practice
  24. land — to come down

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