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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 116 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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. rock — music
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — to fit
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. suit — in cards
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. content — the amount
  10. wake — a trail
  11. rock — a stone
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. bore — to drill
  14. rule — a law
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. bore — to tire
  18. staff — employees
  19. rule — government
  20. staff — employees
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. staff — a stick

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