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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 120 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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. row — to paddle
  3. craft — a skill
  4. content — the amount
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mark — a trace
  11. deal — to handle
  12. content — happy
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. mark — a grade
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. craft — boats
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. row — a line

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