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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. content — the amount
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. lean — thin
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. degree — an amount
  8. hand — in cards
  9. content — happy
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. tube — a container
  12. degree — from a university
  13. face — to point toward
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. hand — help
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. face — to confront
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. face — part of the head
  22. lean — to bend
  23. degree — temperature
  24. tube — the underground

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