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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 116 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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. dip — to sink
  3. suit — clothes
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. present — a gift
  6. content — happy
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. wound — an injury
  9. suit — to fit
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. wound — an injury
  13. ball — a dance
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. craft — a skill
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. ball — a great time
  18. tube — the underground
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. present — the time now
  21. content — the amount
  22. suit — in cards
  23. present — there
  24. craft — boats

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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