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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. press — to push
  3. dip — to sink
  4. rest — what's left
  5. club — for golf
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. saw — the tool
  8. content — happy
  9. saw — the tool
  10. rest — what's left
  11. ball — a great time
  12. craft — boats
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — a skill
  15. press — a publisher
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. ball — a dance
  18. rest — a break
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. press — newspapers
  21. club — a group
  22. content — the amount
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. club — for dancing

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