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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. key — the most important part
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. key — for a lock
  6. band — a music group
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. pop — to visit
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. stand — to bear
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. wind — moving air
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. content — the amount
  16. pop — music
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. rush — hurry
  20. wind — moving air
  21. pop — soda
  22. content — happy
  23. key — in music
  24. band — a ring

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