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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. content — the amount
  4. squash — to crush
  5. deal — to handle
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. scale — in music
  8. bear — the animal
  9. present — a gift
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. content — happy
  12. object — an aim
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. object — to protest
  15. scale — size or range
  16. present — there
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. squash — the sport
  20. bear — the animal
  21. present — the time now
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. squash — the vegetable

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