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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 116 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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. wound — an injury
  7. bass — the fish
  8. content — happy
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bass — low music
  11. rule — government
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. rule — a law
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. mug — a face
  18. ball — a great time
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. capital — a city
  21. content — the amount
  22. ball — a dance
  23. mug — to rob
  24. capital — money

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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