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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. content — happy
  5. craft — a skill
  6. season — in sport
  7. key — for a lock
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. craft — boats
  11. key — in music
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. content — the amount
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. season — of the year
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. key — the most important part
  24. content — videos and posts

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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