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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bass — low music
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. content — happy
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. suit — clothes
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. suit — in cards
  13. land — ground
  14. bass — the fish
  15. pass — a permit
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. content — the amount
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. land — a country
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. land — to come down
  24. dip — to sink

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