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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bound — tied together
  4. content — the amount
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. current — electric
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. mark — a trace
  9. bound — certain
  10. mark — a grade
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. bound — obliged
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. current — of water
  16. tube — a container
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. content — happy
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. current — happening now
  23. tube — the underground
  24. bark — to shout

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