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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. content — happy
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. suit — to fit
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. ball — a great time
  8. cold — an illness
  9. ball — a dance
  10. fine — all right
  11. track — a song
  12. suit — in cards
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. track — a path
  15. craft — boats
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. fine — high quality
  18. content — the amount
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. cold — not warm
  21. craft — a skill
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. track — to keep track
  24. suit — clothes

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