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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 belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. club — for dancing
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. mark — a trace
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. content — the amount
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mark — a grade
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. staff — employees
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. lie — to recline
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. staff — a stick
  19. club — for golf
  20. staff — employees
  21. bore — to drill
  22. content — happy
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bore — to tire

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