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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. firm — steady
  5. bass — low music
  6. face — to confront
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. content — the amount
  10. tube — the underground
  11. bass — the fish
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. tube — a container
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bore — to drill
  17. firm — decided
  18. content — happy
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. firm — a company
  22. face — to point toward
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. bore — to tire

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