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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. lie — to recline
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. suit — to fit
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. suit — in cards
  9. content — the amount
  10. suit — clothes
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. season — of the year
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a path
  15. content — happy
  16. track — a song
  17. game — wild animals
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. game — a match
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. season — in sport
  24. lie — an untruth

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