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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. content — happy
  3. current — of water
  4. tube — a container
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. tube — the underground
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wake — a trail
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. current — happening now
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. content — the amount
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — to fit
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. lie — to recline
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rule — government
  22. current — electric
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. suit — clothes

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