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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. drill — the tool
  6. drill — a practice
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. sharp — clever
  11. suit — clothes
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. content — happy
  15. content — the amount
  16. ball — a great time
  17. rest — what's left
  18. suit — to fit
  19. rest — what's left
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. rest — a break
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. drill — army training
  24. suit — in cards

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