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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 ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. pop — to visit
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. fine — all right
  5. saw — the tool
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. saw — the tool
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pop — soda
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. content — the amount
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. pop — music
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pound — a weight
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. fine — high quality
  22. content — happy
  23. pit — in a race
  24. wake — a trail

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