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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. fine — all right
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. mark — a trace
  13. wake — a trail
  14. chest — of your body
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. fine — high quality
  18. chest — of your body
  19. deal — to handle
  20. content — happy
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. mark — a grade
  24. content — the amount

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