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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. pit — in a race
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. object — an aim
  7. content — the amount
  8. saw — the tool
  9. mug — a cup
  10. content — happy
  11. pit — a hole
  12. squash — the sport
  13. object — a thing
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. object — to protest
  16. saw — the tool
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. squash — to crush
  19. mug — to rob
  20. sharp — clever
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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