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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. swing — music
  3. drill — the tool
  4. lean — thin
  5. cue — for pool
  6. swing — to play on
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. content — happy
  9. fall — to drop
  10. cue — a hint
  11. stock — shares
  12. fall — the season
  13. stock — goods
  14. drill — army training
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. drill — a practice
  17. lean — to bend
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. fall — to drop
  20. swing — in golf
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. cue — a signal
  24. content — the amount

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