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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. rock — a stone
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. deal — to handle
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. rock — music
  10. wake — a trail
  11. chip — to eat
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. kid — to tease
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. kid — child
  18. chip — for betting
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. content — happy

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