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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. snap — to click
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. staff — a stick
  6. content — happy
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. mug — a face
  10. file — a tool
  11. lean — thin
  12. file — a document
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. mug — to rob
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. file — a line of people
  17. tube — a container
  18. staff — employees
  19. mug — a cup
  20. lean — to bend
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. tube — the underground
  23. staff — employees
  24. bay — a horse colour

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