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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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 will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. cell — a phone
  3. mug — to rob
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. field — farmland
  6. cell — in biology
  7. field — for sport
  8. content — the amount
  9. suit — clothes
  10. content — happy
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. drill — army training
  13. drill — the tool
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — high quality
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. mug — a cup
  19. field — a subject
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. suit — in cards
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. drill — a practice
  24. mug — a face

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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