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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. content — happy
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. snap — to click
  5. pitch — completely
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. bulb — for light
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. content — the amount
  23. bulb — for light
  24. stand — to bear

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