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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. suit — in cards
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. mark — a grade
  7. content — happy
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. suit — to fit
  10. stand — to bear
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. fork — in a road
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. perch — the fish
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. suit — clothes
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. mine — for digging
  21. content — the amount
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. mark — a trace

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