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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. drill — army training
  5. snap — to click
  6. current — of water
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. drill — the tool
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. current — electric
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. content — the amount
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. toast — bread
  21. drill — a practice
  22. content — happy
  23. current — happening now
  24. rush — hurry

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