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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. content — happy
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. mug — to rob
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. content — the amount
  10. mug — a face
  11. object — to protest
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. mug — a cup
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. object — a thing
  19. fine — all right
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. fine — high quality
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. object — an aim

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