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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. cell — in biology
  3. pit — in a race
  4. content — the amount
  5. content — happy
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. tube — the underground
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. march — the month
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. firm — decided
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. cell — a phone
  19. firm — a company
  20. pit — a hole
  21. tube — a container
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. firm — steady
  24. march — music

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