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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. content — the amount
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. content — happy
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mine — for digging
  13. snap — to click
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. cue — a signal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. cue — for pool
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. cue — a hint
  24. bear — the animal

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