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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 116 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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. content — happy
  3. scale — in music
  4. scale — size or range
  5. sharp — clever
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. cue — a hint
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. content — the amount
  14. tube — the underground
  15. cue — a signal
  16. tube — a container
  17. cue — for pool
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. chair — a leader
  24. chair — a professorship

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