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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. pass — a permit
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. sharp — clever
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bulb — for light
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. content — happy
  17. bat — the animal
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. bulb — for light
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. sharp — exactly

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