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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 124 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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. spring — a coil
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. suit — in cards
  6. pop — soda
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. spring — the season
  9. bass — low music
  10. suit — to fit
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pop — music
  15. bass — the fish
  16. spring — of water
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. pound — a weight
  19. content — happy
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pop — to visit
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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