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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.

Make a worksheet

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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. wound — an injury
  3. mug — a cup
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. mug — a face
  6. wound — an injury
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. vault — a safe
  9. land — ground
  10. season — in sport
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. content — happy
  13. land — a country
  14. season — of the year
  15. mug — to rob
  16. scale — size or range
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. scale — in music
  19. land — to come down
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. lash — an eyelash

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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