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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. spell — a short time
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stand — to bear
  7. object — a thing
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bulb — for light
  11. deal — to handle
  12. spell — letters
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. bulb — for light
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. object — an aim
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. suit — to fit
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. content — happy
  22. object — to protest
  23. spell — magic
  24. suit — clothes

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