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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 124 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. stand — to bear
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. sharp — clever
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. pound — a weight
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. plane — a tool
  14. content — the amount
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. content — happy
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. deal — to handle
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. pound — for dogs

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