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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. tear — from crying
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. cue — a hint
  7. mate — to breed
  8. tear — to rip
  9. wound — an injury
  10. mug — to rob
  11. swing — music
  12. content — happy
  13. wound — an injury
  14. mate — a friend
  15. cue — for pool
  16. cue — a signal
  17. mate — a partner
  18. tear — from crying
  19. content — the amount
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. swing — to play on
  22. swing — in golf
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. mug — a face

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