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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 120 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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. suit — clothes
  3. fine — high quality
  4. tear — to rip
  5. content — happy
  6. suit — in cards
  7. tear — from crying
  8. cue — for pool
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. band — a music group
  11. tear — from crying
  12. craft — a skill
  13. cue — a hint
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. suit — to fit
  17. pound — a weight
  18. band — a ring
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. craft — boats
  23. content — the amount
  24. cue — a signal

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