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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. mug — a face
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. court — of law
  5. mug — a cup
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. content — happy
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. court — for sport
  14. content — the amount
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. court — of a king
  17. mug — to rob
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. sharp — clever
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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