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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. suit — to fit
  3. spell — magic
  4. object — a thing
  5. spell — a short time
  6. object — an aim
  7. suit — clothes
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. ground — a position
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. suit — in cards
  15. ground — crushed
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. ground — the earth
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. spell — letters
  21. content — happy
  22. chair — a leader
  23. object — to protest
  24. chair — to sit on

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