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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. bound — tied together
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. current — electric
  5. content — happy
  6. bound — certain
  7. cue — a hint
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. squash — to crush
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. squash — the sport
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. current — happening now
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. bound — obliged
  16. cue — a signal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. content — the amount
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. cue — for pool
  21. wax — to grow
  22. snap — to click
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. current — of water

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