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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 120 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  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. rock — a stone
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. content — the amount
  5. staff — employees
  6. stem — to come from
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. staff — employees
  12. content — happy
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mate — a partner
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. mate — a friend
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. dip — to sink
  21. pound — a weight
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. rock — music
  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