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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. content — the amount
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. charge — a price
  6. drill — a practice
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. bass — low music
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. wake — a trail
  11. charge — electricity
  12. drill — army training
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. mark — a trace
  15. bass — the fish
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. drill — the tool
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. content — happy
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. charge — in control
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. coach — a trainer

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