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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 124 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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. staff — employees
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. fork — in a road
  5. pitch — completely
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. mark — a trace
  10. content — the amount
  11. club — for dancing
  12. staff — employees
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. content — happy
  16. roll — a cake
  17. staff — a stick
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. ball — a dance
  21. club — for golf
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. roll — a list
  24. club — a group

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