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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. cue — a hint
  3. club — a group
  4. content — the amount
  5. club — for golf
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. cue — for pool
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. deal — to handle
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. rock — music
  12. ground — a position
  13. club — for dancing
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. rock — a stone
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. ground — crushed
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. cue — a signal
  24. ground — the earth

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