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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. content — happy
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. wound — an injury
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wound — an injury
  10. scale — in music
  11. tube — the underground
  12. content — the amount
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. firm — decided
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. firm — steady
  17. tube — a container
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. fine — high quality
  22. firm — a company
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. fine — all right

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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