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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. swing — in golf
  4. rush — hurry
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. content — the amount
  10. board — a committee
  11. swing — music
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. lie — to recline
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. content — happy
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pound — a weight
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. cell — a phone
  23. board — to get on
  24. swing — to play on

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