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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.

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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. spell — magic
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. content — happy
  6. spell — letters
  7. staff — a stick
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. object — to protest
  10. spell — a short time
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lean — to bend
  13. object — an aim
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. staff — employees
  16. game — wild animals
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. game — a match
  20. staff — employees
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. lean — thin
  23. object — a thing
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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