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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. kick — in football
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. root — of a word
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mate — a friend
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. mate — a partner
  15. root — of a plant
  16. mate — to breed
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. root — the cause
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. content — the amount
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. content — videos and posts

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