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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bear — the animal
  3. suit — in cards
  4. foot — a measure
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. track — to keep track
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. track — a path
  9. content — the amount
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. content — happy
  14. bear — the animal
  15. track — a song
  16. cell — a phone
  17. suit — to fit
  18. cue — a signal
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cell — in biology
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. suit — clothes
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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