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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bear — the animal
  4. ball — a dance
  5. bear — the animal
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. content — happy
  9. ball — a great time
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bound — certain
  12. lie — to recline
  13. tear — from crying
  14. bound — obliged
  15. deal — to handle
  16. mate — a partner
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. tear — to rip
  19. mate — to breed
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. mate — a friend
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. tear — from crying

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