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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'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. lie — to recline
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. content — the amount
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. content — happy
  7. present — the time now
  8. cue — for pool
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — a stick
  11. present — a gift
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pop — soda
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. present — there
  20. pop — music
  21. staff — employees
  22. saw — the tool
  23. cue — a signal
  24. saw — the tool

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