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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. squash — to crush
  4. pop — music
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. pop — to visit
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pop — soda
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. rest — what's left
  12. firm — a company
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. content — the amount
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. rest — a break
  18. content — happy
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. squash — the sport
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. firm — steady
  24. firm — decided

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