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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. suit — clothes
  3. sharp — clever
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bear — the animal
  10. content — happy
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. content — the amount
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. ball — a great time
  17. kid — child
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. ball — a dance
  20. bear — the animal
  21. chair — a leader
  22. kid — to tease
  23. suit — in cards
  24. temple — a place of worship

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