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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. tube — the underground
  4. content — the amount
  5. ball — a great time
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. rule — government
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bank — for money
  11. tube — a container
  12. ball — a dance
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. charge — a price
  15. prune — to trim
  16. rule — a law
  17. bank — of a river
  18. charge — in control
  19. bank — for money
  20. charge — electricity
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. content — happy
  23. prune — to trim
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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