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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. content — the amount
  5. pound — a weight
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. tube — a container
  8. game — wild animals
  9. rest — what's left
  10. game — a match
  11. saw — the tool
  12. key — for a lock
  13. rest — what's left
  14. saw — the tool
  15. rest — a break
  16. mark — a grade
  17. content — happy
  18. key — the most important part
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a trace
  21. tube — the underground
  22. key — in music
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. pound — for dogs

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