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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. chest — a box
  3. content — the amount
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. chest — of your body
  6. charge — electricity
  7. charge — a price
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. row — a line
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. charge — in control
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. chest — of your body
  16. perch — the fish
  17. mug — a face
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. row — to paddle
  20. content — happy
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. mug — to rob
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. leaves — to go away

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