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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. content — happy
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. scale — in music
  5. ball — a dance
  6. content — the amount
  7. charge — in control
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. net — after costs
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. net — in sport
  14. ball — a great time
  15. charge — a price
  16. prune — to trim
  17. charge — electricity
  18. net — for catching
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. prune — to trim
  23. scale — size or range
  24. lash — to lash out

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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