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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. key — in music
  3. mug — a cup
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. prune — to trim
  8. kick — in football
  9. land — a country
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. key — the most important part
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. key — for a lock
  15. board — to get on
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. content — happy
  18. land — ground
  19. mug — a face
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. mug — to rob
  23. board — a committee
  24. land — to come down

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