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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. current — electric
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. scale — size or range
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. snap — to click
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. scale — in music
  12. toast — bread
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. content — happy
  15. current — happening now
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — hurry
  22. content — the amount
  23. current — of water
  24. arm — a part of something

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