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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. pit — a hole
  5. bass — low music
  6. charge — electricity
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. toast — bread
  11. charge — in control
  12. content — happy
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. pit — in a race
  15. charge — a price
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. content — the amount
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. bowl — a football final

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