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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. sharp — clever
  3. content — happy
  4. content — the amount
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. ground — a position
  7. suit — to fit
  8. ground — crushed
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. pop — soda
  11. bear — the animal
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. ground — the earth
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. suit — clothes
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. bear — the animal
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. pop — music
  21. pop — to visit
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. suit — in cards
  24. ball — a great time

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