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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. content — happy
  4. bank — for money
  5. mug — a face
  6. mug — a cup
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. bound — certain
  10. content — the amount
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. track — a path
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. bound — obliged
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. track — a song
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. mug — to rob
  23. bound — tied together
  24. track — to keep track

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